Cricket Australia announces central contracts for 2025-26 season

Some big names were excluded from the new list on central contracts by the Cricket Australia.

The key contracts for the 2025–2026 season were revealed by Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday, April 1. CA has awarded the yearly contracts for this season to spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, all-rounder Beau Webster, and young batting star Sam Konstas.

The trio’s outstanding performances in the most recent test series against India and Sri Lanka earned them key contracts for the 2025-26 season. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against India, Beau Webster also made his debut. He showed promise with the ball and scored a smooth fifty in his first game.

Webster, who is well-known for his versatility, is a wonderful fit for Australia’s predilection for players with a wide range of skills. He also had a big influence on the Sri Lanka trip when he took important wickets to demonstrate his off-spin abilities.

“In Sam, we see a promising upside in a young player who will continue to develop at first-class level and in the international environment. In Beau’s case, he proved more than comfortable at Test level with bat and ball, adding dimension in the field and to the balance of the side,”  said Australian chair of selectors George Bailey.

Matthew Kuhnemann was also handed a CA central contract, as he was the Player of the Series in Australia’s historic away test series win in Sri Lanka, where he scalped 16 wickets in just two matches. Kuhnemann has already solidified his position as a vital spinner in Australia’s team with 35 wickets from five test matches.

Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh have kept their spots on the CA central contracts list.

Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David snubbed from Cricket Australia Central Contracts

Many big names went missing from the latest CA central contracts. Nathan McSweeney, Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie, Todd Murphy and Cooper Connolly were left out of the list. Other big names to be excluded from the central contracts list were Marcus Stoinis, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tim David.

Even though they only played one ODI together during their most recent contract period, Australia still supports fast bowlers Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson, who are prone to injuries. The CA also gave the central contract to Xavier Bartlett.

As Australia prepare for a seamless transition in the upcoming years, veteran players Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Matt Short, and Adam Zampa continue to occupy their positions.

Cricket Australia contracted players for 2025-26:

Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey, Sam Konstas, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland, Lance Morris, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Travis Head, Matt Short, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Beau Webster, Cameron Green, and Xavier Bartlett.

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