LONDON (BBC): Test captain Ben Stokes remains committed to England long-term despite turning down a three-year contract, says managing director Rob Key. Stokes, 32, has signed a one-year central contract extension instead. Key said Stokes did so because he feels he can negotiate a better deal next year when a new cycle of broadcast rights starts.
“By no means is it Ben Stokes saying, ‘I don’t want to play for England’,” Key told BBC Sport.
“All he talks about is being completely committed to playing for England and also captaining that Test team – planning for India, planning for the Ashes, planning for West Indies and Sri Lanka next summer.
“I don’t think it has crossed his mind not playing for England for the next four, five, six years.”
England announced their first multi-year contracts on Tuesday, deals which are seen as a way to ward off interest in players from franchise leagues. Joe Root, Harry Brook and Mark Wood are the only players to sign three-year deals, while 41-year-old bowler James Anderson has, like Stokes, signed for one year.
It was reported earlier this year Wood was set to sign a lucrative deal to play in the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates and as a result miss some of England’s Test tour to India, starting in January.
Key said fast bowler Wood will now be available for the India tour, fitness permitting.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer, despite his ongoing injury issues, and Jos Buttler were both offered three-year deals but have signed for two. Spinner Adil Rashid, 35, has also signed a two-year extension.
No player rejected a deal outright.
The format of England’s central contracts is tied to the broadcast deal, meaning more money may be available and players’ worth might be calculated differently next year.
Players that agree to their deals now will stay on those terms.
“Ben, quite rightly, feels when the next memorandum of understanding starts and the contract cycle changes he will be in a stronger position,” added managing director of England men’s cricket Key.
“Other players have gone for that security.” He added: “I’m surprised in a way – I thought more people might not have taken the multi-year element. “That’s a credit to the players that they are prepared to commit to English cricket, when for the first time ever they have so many more opportunities.” All-rounder Stokes, who has led the Test side since April 2022, came out of one-day international retirement for the ongoing 50-over World Cup, but is only playing as a batter because of a long-standing knee injury.
In total, the England and Wales Cricket Board has given out 18 multi-year deals, in addition to eight lasting one year and three development contracts. Spinner Rehan Ahmed, pace bowlers Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue and batter Ben Duckett have signed their first England contracts – all on two-year deals.
Also on two-year deals are Jonny Bairstow, Test opener Zak Crawley, batter Ollie Pope, plus all-rounders Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone and Chris Woakes.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who was dropped for the Ashes series in the summer, all-rounder Moeen Ali, spinner Jack Leach, batter Dawid Malan and bowlers Ollie Robinson and Reece Topley join Stokes and Anderson on one-year contracts.
Saqib Mahmood, currently out with a second back stress fracture in two years, Hampshire seamer John Turner and Yorkshire quick Matthew Fisher have been given development contracts. The deals are backdated to start from 1 October 2023.
Key said England will have control over their multi-year players when there are clashes in the schedule, although it will not mean they do not play any franchise cricket.
“What the multi-year deals have done is get players to commit to England for the foreseeable future – that is a fantastic thing,” he added.
Jason Roy, who was dropped from England’s 50-over World Cup squad for Brook, does not have a contract after he ended his deal in May to play in the American T20 Major League Cricket. Left-armer David Willey, currently part of England’s World Cup squad, has lost his deal, as have pace bowlers Craig Overton, Jamie Overton and Olly Stone, who all had development deals last year.
Stuart Broad is the other player no longer contracted from 2022-23 following his retirement after the final Ashes Test.
Three-year contracts: Harry Brook, Joe Root, Mark Wood
Two-year contracts: Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes
One-year contracts: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley
Development contract: Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner
