Cricket Australia Contract List: Weatherald In, Richardson Cut, Five Stars Axed
cricket australia contract list for 2026-27 has been trimmed to 21 men, elevating Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett while leaving Jhye Richardson off the roster. The Test-focused reshuffle, issued by Cricket Australia, returns Todd Murphy and Michael Neser and follows seasonal pay rises agreed under the 2023 memorandum of understanding. The cuts reflect a looming Test-heavy 12 months that include 15 Tests and a packed itinerary across Bangladesh, South Africa, New Zealand and India.
Key changes on the Cricket Australia Contract List
Cricket Australia men’s contracts for 2026-27 list 21 players: Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Brendan Doggett, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster and Adam Zampa. Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett have received their first full contracts following Test debuts in last summer’s Ashes, while Todd Murphy and Michael Neser have been returned to the list.
Notable omissions include Jhye Richardson, Lance Morris, Sam Konstas, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short and Usman Khawaja, the latter having retired from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes. Jhye Richardson, who played in last season’s Boxing Day Test, is the most prominent name left off the 21-player roster. Non-contracted players remain eligible to earn upgrades by playing enough international matches over the next 12 months; the initial contract window must contain between 20 and 24 players under the agreement with the players’ union.
Reaction and immediate fallout
The list is an explicit endorsement of Weatherald as a Test opener and sets up an emotional home-town Test for him in Darwin when Australia hosts Bangladesh. Weatherald has confirmed he will join Leicestershire for a stint in the County Championship, while Jhye Richardson will depart for the UK to play country cricket for Yorkshire. Western Australia faces a roster squeeze with both Richardson and Lance Morris leaving state availability after being omitted from the contracted group.
Lance Morris has not played for Australia since an ODI in November 2024 and underwent back surgery last August following another stress fracture. The reshuffle also marks another setback for Sam Konstas, who loses his place after being a fresh face in the Test setup earlier in the cycle, and for T20 specialist Glenn Maxwell and Matt Short, who are off the contracted list for now.
What comes next
Selectors have framed this list around an intense red-ball calendar: Australia are scheduled for 15 Tests over the coming 12 months — two at home to Bangladesh, three away in South Africa, four at home versus New Zealand, five away in India and the 150th Anniversary match at the MCG — with a possible World Test Championship final and a five-Test away Ashes tour to follow in mid-2027. There will also be white-ball fixtures against Zimbabwe, South Africa and England.
Financially, these new deals are the first with an average value topping more than $1 million (plus match payments and superannuation) after an annual 2 per cent increase under the 2023 memorandum of understanding with the players’ union. For players outside the 21, the path back is clear: strong international availability and performances can trigger contract upgrades across the season. The cricket australia contract list will remain under close scrutiny as Test selection needs evolve with injuries and form through the packed international calendar.
