Cricket Australia Grants National Contracts to Konstas, Webster, and Kuhnemann for 2025-26 Season

Melbourne, April 1 (NationPress) Cricket Australia has presented national men's contracts for the 2025-26 season to the standout newcomers of the Test summer: Sam Konstas, Beau Webster, and Matthew Kuhnemann.

On Tuesday, Cricket Australia revealed a consistent 23-player roster, with only three alterations from the previous year. The all-rounders Sean Abbott and Aaron Hardie, along with spinner Todd Murphy, were the only players omitted.

Konstas and Webster have secured their first CA contracts after making impressive debuts in international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series victory. Kuhnemann later excelled on the tour to Sri Lanka, where he claimed 16 wickets in just two Tests.

This marks a tumultuous period for the 28-year-old Kuhnemann, who persevered through a broken thumb on that tour and faced scrutiny over a suspect bowling action before being cleared.

However, Kuhnemann has now surpassed Todd Murphy and standout Sheffield Shield spinner Corey Rocchiccioli to become Nathan Lyon's preferred partner. Though he received a national contract upgrade in 2023, this is his initial selection on the main list.

The new roster also reflects confidence in Webster and Konstas as they aim for inclusion in Australia’s squad for the upcoming World Test Championship final in June. The anticipated return of Cameron Green from injury and Josh Inglis' impressive debut in Sri Lanka have created competition for top-order positions.

Selection chief George Bailey also mentioned Mitchell Marsh, who was dropped from the Test team in January and has since missed time due to a back injury. He is now back as a batter in the IPL ahead of the WTC final and a three-Test tour of the Caribbean.

“Matt Kuhnemann was exceptional once again in Sri Lanka and we believe he can play a crucial role over the next 18 months,” Bailey stated. “In Beau’s case, he has demonstrated his capability at the Test level with both bat and ball, adding an extra dimension in the field and to the team’s balance.”

“With Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh returning, there will be healthy competition for spots for the World Test Championship and West Indies tours. In Sam, we see promising potential in a young player who will continue to grow at the first-class and international levels,” Bailey added in a statement.

Players without contracts can earn upgrades by participating in enough international matches over the next year. The initial contract list must consist of 20-24 players, according to CA's agreement with the Australian Cricketers' Association.

Cooper Connolly, who made his debut for Australia across all three formats in the last six months, is one of the notable omissions. Nathan McSweeney, who played three Tests against India and traveled to Sri Lanka as a backup batter, also did not make the list. Both received contract upgrades in the 2024-25 season.

However, fast bowlers Xavier Bartlett, Lance Morris, and Jhye Richardson have retained their contracts despite coming off injury-riddled seasons in 2024-25.

While the WTC decider and the upcoming Ashes stand as primary objectives for Australia in the next months, the men’s team is also scheduled to compete in 19 T20 Internationals leading up to a World Cup in that format in early 2026.

Moreover, there are nine bilateral ODIs across three series planned as the Aussies gear up for their 50-over World Cup title defense in 2027.

This includes seven members from the injury-hit squad that participated in the recent Champions Trophy: Connolly, Abbott, Hardie, Tanveer Sangha, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson, and Jake Fraser-McGurk. The latter two earned contract upgrades last year.

The Cricket Australia men's contract list for 2025-26 includes: Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster, and Adam Zampa.