Jos Buttler has not participated in any matches for England since the T20 World Cup held in June. The 34-year-old white-ball captain has signed a one-year extension to his central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board, adding to his existing two-year agreement. He joins Test captain Ben Stokes, who also extended his contract earlier this month, securing their commitments until autumn 2026.
Rob Key, director of England men’s cricket, highlighted the impressive talent pool within the team. He noted that both captains have committed to central contracts that reflect their dedication to representing their country. Currently sidelined due to a calf injury sustained in June, Buttler is being replaced by Liam Livingstone during the West Indies tour.
There are 29 players on central contracts, with pace bowler Gus Atkinson also securing an extension until 2026. Spinners Jack Leach and Reece Topley have signed new one-year agreements as well. Five players are receiving their first central contracts: wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, white-ball batsman Phil Salt, spinner Shoaib Bashir, all-rounder Will Jacks, and fast bowler Olly Stone.
Jonny Bairstow has a year remaining on his contract established in 2023 after last playing for England in June. Meanwhile, James Anderson, Moeen Ali, and Dawid Malan have retired, and both Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson have lost their contracts. Development contracts have been awarded to all-rounder Jacob Bethell and seamers Josh Hull and John Turner.
Among those with two-year contracts are Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes, and Mark Wood. One-year contracts have been granted to Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir among others.
Test vice-captain Ollie Pope has received a one-year extension despite struggling with form recently; he scored only 55 runs across three matches in Pakistan. Although he hit three centuries this year, his average stands at 32—marking the lowest for any player with three hundreds in a calendar year within Test history.
James Anderson expressed confidence in Pope’s ability to improve, suggesting that New Zealand’s conditions may be more favorable for him. Smith is set to miss the upcoming New Zealand tour due to the birth of his first child, with Jordan Cox stepping in as his replacement. Should Cox perform well while Pope continues to struggle, it could raise further questions regarding Pope’s role when England resumes Test cricket in May.
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