IPL 2021: Punjab Kings sign Australia's Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson ruled out

Punjab Kings have signed rising Australian sensation Nathan Ellis ahead of the IPL 2021 as one of the replacements for the recently ruled-out pace duo of Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith.

The development is further evidence of the right-arm medium pacer's meteoric rise in international cricket. Less than a fortnight ago, Nathan Ellis became the first bowler ever to pick up a hat-trick on their debut.

Ellis reached the feat by dismissing Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah and bowlers Mehedi Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman in the last three balls of the 3rd T20I of the 5-match series in Dhaka. As a reward, he was also recently named a traveling reserve in Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup.

Just the HAT-TRICK on @CricketAus debut for Nathan Ellis… if you don’t mind!! 🤯😍🙌🏽The cap, the smile & the jubilation is what the hard work is all about. Good things happen to good people. #BANvAUS #Cricket 🎥: @cricketcomau pic.twitter.com/neruOvtZKr

— Trent Copeland (@copes9) August 6, 2021

Punjab Kings team CEO Satish Menon confirmed Nathan Ellis' signing to Cricbuzz. He also said the franchise will announce a second replacement player soon.

"We were not aware of the fitness status of Jhye and Riley until yesterday (August 18). That they cannot be part of the IPL was known only after the Cricket Australia press conference. We have signed Ellis as a replacement player. We will announce the second replacement in a day or two," said Satish Menon.

Nathan Ellis will now join the likes of Mohammed Shami, Chris Jordan and Arshdeep Singh in the bowling department. He will augment the Punjab Kings' death-overs potential while also providing a handy new-ball option.

Nathan Ellis's T20 record

For those who don't know Nathan Ellis 👍 pic.twitter.com/dqFRKzecHl

— Vamos (@VamosRCB_) August 20, 2021

Nathan Ellis followed his hat-trick with two wickets in the fifth T20I. Overall, he has played 33 T20s in his career, picking up 38 wickets at an average of just over 25.

Ellis plays for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and has so far picked up 32 wickets in the competition with a best of 3-15. His economy rate of 8.13 coupled with a strike rate of 19.59 will make him one of the players to watch out for on the pacy tracks in the UAE.

The Punjab Kings will play their first match of the second phase of IPL 2021 against the Rajasthan Royals on September 21.