Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson was very anxious about his return to top-flight cricket after a year-long lay-off due to a back injury. But Spencer Johnson feels he’s in a better space and hitting speeds upwards of 140 km/hr, on his debut for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Spencer Johsnon, who did not play competitive cricket between IPL 2025 and IPL 2026, rushed Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis with his raw pace in Lucknow. In his opening over, he got the ball to duck back into the right-handed Inglis from over the wicket. He finished with figures of 1/39 in 4 overs.
Spencer Johnson’s take on where he stands today
On the eve of CSK’s last home match of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Spencer Johnson said, “Yeah, I think that hitting speeds above 145 km/hr is definitely something to work towards. I think my pace was okay the other night, and hopefully the more games I play, the more comfortable I’ll feel.”Â
Spencer Johnson further added, “I feel like I’ve done a lot of bowling in the nets for the last two or three months, and to get out there, there was a bit of uncertainty. But now that I’ve got through that first game, I feel like there was some sort of rhythm there, and I feel like I’m really going to get better and faster. So hopefully it’s just the start.”Â
Spencer Johnson on his work with Ryan Harris and building up load under Eric Simmons
Before linking up with the CSK squad in late April as a replacement player for Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson worked with former Australia quick Ryan Harris to make adjustments to his action, which might prevent him from further back issues. After joining CSK, Johnson has been steadily building up his loads under bowling coach Eric Simmons.
Spencer Johnson said, “Yeah, coming from Australia, there’s a lot of emphasis on your technique, and potentially why stress fractures can happen. So there are a few things that crept into my game that I could iron out with Ryano back at home, and really drill down my technique, and that was pretty simple in the end. There weren’t a lot of changes, just being a little straighter, running in a bit straighter and making sure that all the momentum is going the right place and not putting too much stress on the back.”Â
Spencer Johnson further added, “I feel like the work that Eric has done in training has got me up to speed. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. But playing the other night, I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go, but feeling very backed by Flem, Eric and Rutu.”Â
Spencer Johnson intends to cherish playing IPL for CSK
After spending several months off the field, Spencer Johnson wants to cherish every moment he’s on it and embrace the pressure the IPL brings. With injury cutting Jamie Overton’s season short, the onus is on Johnson to give CSK’s attack a point of difference and help them stay in the race for the playoffs.
Spencer Johnson said, “I think there’s always going to be pressure coming into this tournament. It’s the best tournament in the world, and I’m playing for probably the best franchise in the world, so just being here is a privilege. I’m not sure if you saw it on TV the other night, but I was trying to smile and enjoy the game. Because it’s a game that we all love, and I love playing, and playing for CSK is an unbelievable experience. It’s challenging, but I wouldn’t be anywhere else in the world.”Â
It remains to be seen how Spencer Johnson performs if he is given a game, as CSK are in a do-or-die situation against SRH later tonight in the Southern Derby, as the Orange Army aims to complete the double over CSK. If Johnson gets a chance, he must perform well to his ability if CSK are to stand any chance of beating SRH. It’s going to be challenging for Johnson and CSK, but the left-arm pacer is definitely up for it.
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