England is currently negotiating contract renewals and extensions for its players, who will then have the option to accept or decline these offers.
A year ago, 18 players committed to multi-year contracts, which are still in place. These contracts were introduced by the ECB primarily to fend off interest from global franchise leagues. Among the players, Ben Stokes was one of eight who signed for just one year and now finds himself without a contract.
At that time, Rob Key, England's managing director, revealed that Stokes had hesitated in committing long-term due to an impending memorandum of understanding, which had the potential to raise contract values.
This memorandum of understanding outlines the terms of the contracts and is tied to the TV broadcast deal cycle. With a new broadcast cycle starting in 2025, contract values have been upgraded. Of the remaining seven players who also signed one-year deals, several have since retired from international play, including James Anderson, Moeen Ali, and Dawid Malan. Others, such as Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson, have been dropped from the squad. The only players who seem likely to receive new contracts are Jack Leach and Reece Topley.
Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir are expected to be awarded central contracts for the first time, having established themselves as regulars in the Test team. Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow has another year on his contract, despite being out of action for England since the T20 World Cup in June.
As England prepares to face Pakistan in a three-match Test series starting Monday, Stokes is set to miss his fourth consecutive Test due to a hamstring injury sustained in early August while playing for Northern Superchargers. Ollie Pope continues to fill in as captain in his absence.
England enjoyed a 3-0 series win in Pakistan two years ago, but this time around, they are missing the three fast bowlers who were pivotal on that tour. With Anderson and Robinson out, and Mark Wood sidelined by injury, the team faces a tough task.
In their absence, Chris Woakes will play his first Test in Asia since 2016, Gus Atkinson will appear in his debut away Test, and Brydon Carse is set to make his Test debut.
It is expected to be a demanding challenge for England's seam attack. While the pitch in Multan is showing signs of a greenish hue, temperatures will hover around 36 degrees Celsius.
Stokes expressed his confidence in the bowlers selected, stating that he believes they are fully capable of handling the intense heat and difficult conditions. He pointed out the importance of character, adding that England's dressing room is filled with players who are ready to embrace the test of playing in such challenging conditions.