Ben Stokes has signed a new two-year central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), signalling his intent to lead England into the 2027 Ashes on home soil.
Despite battling injuries that limited him to Test cricket this year, the 34-year-old all-rounder’s renewed deal underscores his commitment to England’s red-ball future. Stokes last played limited-overs cricket in November 2023 but remains the cornerstone of Brendon McCullum’s Test setup.
The ECB awarded 26 central contracts and four development deals, highlighting what director Rob Key called the “depth and strength of talent” in the national pool. New signees include Sonny Baker, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, and Luke Wood, while veterans Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, and Chris Woakes missed out.
Multi-year contracts, introduced in 2023, aim to manage workloads and retain England’s top players amid the global franchise circuit. Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, and Jos Buttler are among those extending their commitments through 2027.
However, several Test players, including Zak Crawley and Mark Wood, are on one-year deals — leaving room for reshuffle depending on the outcome of next year’s Ashes in Australia.
England men’s central contracts
Two-year contracts: (until Sep 30, 2027) Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes, Josh Tongue
One-year contracts: (until Sep 30, 2026) Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Phil Salt, Luke Wood, Mark Wood
Development contracts: Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Tom Lawes, Mitchell Stanley
Lapsed contracts: Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, Chris Woakes, John Turner
