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Tim Paine, a former captain of Australia, feels that Nathan Ellis ought to be Australia’s first-choice attacker at the T20 World Cup 2024, with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins being the backup options.
Ellis, 29, has made great returns in the 14 matches he has participated in, just one of which has been at home, but he has found it difficult to hold down a regular berth in Australia’s T20 team. He did not make the squad on home soil in 2022 and was a reserve for the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2021, when Australia won the tournament.
“I think Australia have a great opportunity, and I hope they take it in this World Cup, and that is to pick Nathan Ellis. He would be my third quick,” Paine, who played for Ellis’ state Tasmania, told ESPN’s Around The Wicket. “I think he just complements the other guys really well, he’s got a different skillset, comes from a different angle, different height, and think some variety in the attack will be really important to win this World Cup.”
“I know you are going to ask me straightaway who aren’t you playing…I’m going to go Mitchell Starc, [he] is my out and out number one quick, I’m picking him, obviously going with Adam Zampa, and I’m doing to decide between Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
“I’m going to pick one of them and I’m going to go with Nathan Ellis’ all-round skills, his ability to bowl all through the powerplay, I think his slower balls, he’s clever. His international record for the opportunities that he’s been given is outstanding and I think now is the right time…that’s not to say they [Cummins and Hazlewood] are not the best couple of bowlers in the country, they are outstanding bowlers, and will continue to be, I just think Nathan Ellis complements the rest of that attack really, really well.”