BBL 2025-26: Hobart Hurricanes' skipper Nathan Ellis ruled out with hamstring injury

Hobart Hurricanes' skipper Nathan Ellis is set to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 Big Bash League due to a hamstring injury. Ben McDermott will lead the side in place of Ellis. The winner of the Challenger clash between the defending champions and Sydney Sixers will be up against Perth Scorchers in the final of the season.

Ellis had missed the Knockout as well. The Hurricanes went on to win the clash against the Melbourne Stars by three runs in a rain-affected contest to progress to the Challenger, scheduled to take place on Friday, January 23, in Sydney. He had originally picked up the injury while the Hurricanes took on Brisbane Heat. However, the side replaced him with batter Charlie Wakim prior to the encounter.

"Hobart Hurricanes can confirm that skipper Nathan Ellis will miss the remainder of the BBL season and the BBL15 finals due to hamstring tightness. Ellis, who missed the Knockout on Wednesday night, was aiming to return for the final two matches of the BBL finals but was unfortunately unable to overcome the injury," stated the club in a media note on Friday.

Ellis is currently Hobart Hurricanes' leading wicket-taker this season, with 14 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 9.03. He has been rested from Australia's three-match T20I series against Pakistan in Pakistan. This series is scheduled to start in a week's time. With this injury, Ellis' participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be played across February and March is a major question mark.

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Jordan, too, in doubt

As for Chris Jordan, even his participation for the Challenger against the Sixers remains a doubt. It was suggested during the Hurricanes' match against the Stars that he may have picked up an injury recurring in nature. Jordan only batted for one ball at the end of his team's innings and neither bowled nor fielded during the second innings. The Hurricanes, entering BBL 2025-26 as defending champions, will aim to secure their spot in the summit clash to win back-to-back titles.