With World Cups coming up, Ellis to put all "eggs in white-ball basket"

Australia’s fast bowling sensation Nathan Ellis will focus on white-ball cricket ahead of the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.

Ellis has a phenomenal record at the T20I level. The fast bowler has 18 wickets at an average of 9.11 and an economy rate is 6.3.

Ellis took 3/25 in the recently concluded second T20I against South Africa, including a double wicket maiden in his first over. Together with Sean Abbott (3/22), he helped limit the Proteas to 164 in the first innings. Ellis has played only four ODIs to date despite his stellar start in T20Is.

Despite his scant ODI experience, the bowler has been named to Australia's preliminary World Cup team. This demonstrates the selectors' confidence in his white-ball ability.

Speaking to the reporters, Ellis discussed that despite his red-ball credentials, his focus will be on the upcoming World Cups over the next 12-month period.
“It's (red-ball cricket) definitely something I have had to think about. I've had a little bit of red-ball experience and it's something I really love doing and I've done okay,” Ellis, however, added a caveat.

“But on the flip side, all my opportunities for Australia have been on the white-ball set-up so it has been kind of hard to balance the two," Ellis said as quoted by ICC.

“For me, my opportunity is white-ball cricket for Australia so I sort of feel, at the moment with the World Cups coming up in the next year or 18 months, put all my eggs in the white-ball basket currently then when the opportunity to play red-ball cricket arises, if it makes sense, it makes sense," Ellis added.

He talked about his irregular international appearances, saying he's tried to adjust to the same.

“It's something that I've not struggled with, you sort of have to try and become accustomed to (these things). I haven't played consecutive games, and have got one game here, one game there. So it's definitely easy to fall into the mindset of 'this is my only chance' or 'this could be my last chance', that sort of thing," he added.

Ellis went on to say that he tried to get the aforesaid mentality out of his head and is now focused on doing his best whenever he gets to wear the Australia colours.

“So for me, one, trying to get that mentality out of my mind is a challenge, and two, I'm just trying to do the best I can any time I wear the colours. I'm under no illusions that at the current stage I'm not in the first XI, so it's taking the opportunities when they come and doing the best I can and keep throwing my hat in the ring for selection," Ellis said.