England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler has extended his central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for another year. Now in his second year of a two-year agreement, the 34-year-old has committed to stay until autumn 2026, following Test captain Ben Stokes, who recently renewed his contract for the same period.
Rob Key, director of England men's cricket, highlighted the deep talent pool in both red and white-ball formats, noting that the captains' extended contracts underscore players’ dedication to representing England. Buttler is currently sidelined with a calf injury since June, with Liam Livingstone filling in during the West Indies tour.
A total of 29 players hold central contracts. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson has also extended his deal through 2026, while spinner Jack Leach and seamer Reece Topley have renewed for another year. New one-year contracts were awarded to five players: Jamie Smith, Phil Salt, Shoaib Bashir, Will Jacks, and Olly Stone, marking their first time under central contract.
Veteran batter Jonny Bairstow, last seen on the field in June, retains a year on his contract from 2023. Meanwhile, James Anderson, Moeen Ali, and Dawid Malan have retired, and Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson have exited the roster. Development contracts have been offered to all-rounder Jacob Bethell and seamers Josh Hull and John Turner.
England Men Centrally Contracted Players 2024-2025:
- Two-year contracts: Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood
- One-year contracts: Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Josh Tongue, Reece Topley, Chris Woakes
- Development contracts: Jacob Bethell, Josh Hull, John Turner