New Delhi, April 1: cricket Australia has released its central contracts for the 2026-27 season. Jake Weatherald has retained his contract, while Jhye Richardson and Glenn Maxwell have been dropped.
Michael Neser has been rewarded for his outstanding performance in the Ashes and has been included in the central contract list. Along with Neser, Brendan Doggett and off-spinner Todd Murphy have also secured their spots.
Weatherald had a notable run in the Ashes, opening the innings alongside Travis Head, and is expected to be given more opportunities as an opener by Cricket Australia. He has also shown impressive form playing for Tasmania in domestic cricket.
Jhye Richardson, along with retired Usman Khawaja, young batsman Sam Constas, Lance Morris, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and Matt Short, has seen his contract terminated.
Richardson’s exclusion is particularly intriguing as he made a return to the Test team after a lengthy rehabilitation following shoulder surgery, playing against England in Melbourne. However, he is likely to return to action later this year.
Morris, Richardson’s teammate from Western Australia, has also had his contract ended due to ongoing recovery from a stress fracture and subsequent surgery. Constas’s contract was not renewed after he was dropped from the Test team following the West Indies tour last year. Matt Renshaw also missed out on a contract.
Maxwell’s exclusion was anticipated as he now plays in only one format.
Cricket Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, stated, “The contract list has been structured to balance performance over time, considering the upcoming schedule. In the next 12 months, we have series against South Africa, India, and England, each with different weather conditions, along with domestic series.”
He added, “We understand the need for players beyond those on contracts, and we will utilize them as well.”
The selectors have awarded only 21 of the 24 available contracts (down from 23 last year), with a greater focus on Test cricket. This is a significant concern as large payouts to top players could diminish interest in franchise cricket.
Players included in Cricket Australia’s central contracts for the 2026-27 season are: Javier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Brendan Doggett, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, and Adam Zampa.