London, Nov 4: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday (November 4) announced the updated list of England Men's Central Contracts for the 2025-26 season, featuring a total of 30 players. The latest list includes five first-time recipients, marking a reflection of England's depth and emerging talent pool across formats.
In the new structure, the ECB has awarded 14 two-year central contracts, 12 one-year central contracts, and four development contracts, with deals designed to balance red-ball and white-ball commitments while providing greater flexibility for workload management.
New Faces in the Central System
The ECB confirmed that five players - Sonny Baker, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, and Luke Wood - have earned England Men's Central Contracts for
the first time, acknowledging their growing roles in national plans.
Additionally, Eddie Jack, Tom Lawes, and Mitchell Stanley have received Development Contracts for the first time, joining Josh Hull, who continues in that category.
ECB's Strategic Approach
The current contract system, covering both red-ball and white-ball cricket, considers a player's likelihood of featuring across formats in the upcoming period and factors in recent performances and fitness levels.
Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, revealed the strategic intent behind the mix of short- and long-term contracts. "This year's central contract group reflects the depth and strength of talent we have across England Men's cricket," Key said.
"We have awarded two-year deals to our multi-format players so we can manage their workloads responsibly and give them stability. At the same time, several white-ball specialists have been secured on longer contracts to help us plan around the franchise calendar and ensure England remains their priority. "
"This structure allows us to support our players properly while maintaining strong squads across all formats. "
| England Men's Two-Year Central Contracts (until 30 September 2027) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | County | Note |
| Jofra Archer | Sussex | |
| Gus Atkinson | Surrey | |
| Jacob Bethell | Warwickshire | First central contract |
| Harry Brook | Yorkshire | |
| Jos Buttler | Lancashire | |
| Brydon Carse | Durham | |
| Sam Curran | Surrey | |
| Ben Duckett | Nottinghamshire | |
| Will Jacks | Surrey | |
| Adil Rashid | Yorkshire | |
| Joe Root | Yorkshire | |
| Jamie Smith | Surrey | |
| Ben Stokes | Durham | |
| Josh Tongue | Nottinghamshire | |
| England Men's One-Year Central Contracts (until 30 September 2026) | ||
| Player | County | Note |
| Rehan Ahmed | Leicestershire | |
| Sonny Baker | Hampshire | Newly contracted |
| Shoaib Bashir | Somerset | |
| Zak Crawley | Kent | |
| Liam Dawson | Hampshire | Newly contracted |
| Saqib Mahmood | Lancashire | Newly contracted |
| Jamie Overton | Surrey | Newly contracted |
| Ollie Pope | Surrey | |
| Matthew Potts | Durham | |
| Phil Salt | Lancashire | |
| Mark Wood | Durham | |
| Luke Wood | Lancashire | Newly contracted |
| England Development Contracts | ||
| Player | County | Note |
| Josh Hull | Leicestershire | |
| Eddie Jack | Hampshire | First-time contract |
| Tom Lawes | Surrey | First-time contract |
| Mitchell Stanley | Lancashire | First-time contract |
Balancing Stability and Flexibility
The two-year contracts provide key players like Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jos Buttler the security needed to manage international workloads, while one-year deals for emerging and format-specific players enable the ECB to adapt to the evolving landscape of franchise cricket.
With a strong blend of experience and youth, the ECB's 2025-26 contract list highlights England's focus on long-term consistency and competitive edge across all formats.
