Cliff Notes – Konstas Kuhnemann handed CA deals Connolly overlooked
- Sam Konstas and Matt Kuhnemann have been awarded central contracts for 2025-26, indicating their expected involvement in more Test cricket this year, while Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk have been omitted from the T20 World Cup cycle.
- The new additions to cricket Australia’s 23-player contract list include Konstas, Kuhnemann, and Beau Webster, while Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie, and Todd Murphy have been dropped.
- Despite recent performances, Connolly’s absence is notable as he played in Australia’s last Test and ODI teams, while T20 specialists Marcus Stoinis and Tim David have also been excluded from the contract list.
Konstas, Kuhnemann handed CA deals, Connolly overlooked
Sam Konstas and Matt Kuhnemann’s rollercoaster summers have been capped by being added to cricket Australia’s central contract list for 2025-26 in a clear sign both are set for more Test cricket this year, while Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk have been overlooked in a T20 World Cup cycle.
Konstas, Kuhnemann and Tasmanian allrounder Beau Webster are the three new additions to the 23-player list with Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie and Todd Murphy all dropping off the initial group from 2024-25.
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Abbott and Hardie were both part of the Champions Trophy squad but did not play a game in the tournament while Murphy played one Test on the recent tour of Sri Lanka as the third spinner but Australia do not have a tour of Asia in the 2025-26 season. There is a chance Australia could play two spinners in their XI during the three Test tour of the Caribbean but the success of Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon as a duo in Sri Lanka means Murphy has been squeezed off the list.
It rounds out a remarkable period for Kuhnemann. He went from possibly missing the Sri Lanka tour with the broken thumb, to starring in both Tests before being reporting for a suspect action by match officials. He was subsequently cleared after undergoing ICC testing and is now clearly Australia’s No. 2 Test spinner.
“Matt was outstanding once again in Sri Lanka and we believe he can play a key role across the next 18 months,” chair of selectors George Bailey said.
Connolly’s absence is interesting given he played in Australia’s last Test and ODI teams. He also played two T20Is last year and might have played in Australia’s most recent matches against Pakistan in November had he not been nursing a broken finger. But despite earning an CA contract upgrade last year, he has not been placed on the central list for the next 12 months.
Cooper Connolly trapped Rohit Sharma lbw in his first over ICC/Getty Images
Konstas, 19, is currently only a one-format prospect but he looks set to feature in a lot of Test cricket given he has been added to the list despite losing his place in Sri Lanka after playing the final two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests in Melbourne and Sydney where he cracked a remarkable 60 on debut.
“In Sam we see promising upside in a young player who will continue to develop at first class level and in the international environment,” Bailey said.
Nathan McSweeney earned a CA contract upgrade after playing the first three Tests of the India series and toured Sri Lanka as the spare batter but has not made the list.
Mitchell Marsh remains contracted despite losing his Test place last summer. He is Australia’s T20I captain as they head into another T20 World Cup year but Bailey insisted his Test career was not over despite very lean returns during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
CA has continued to invest in injury-prone fast bowlers Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson. They played one ODI between them in the last contract period and Richardson is currently rehabbing from his third shoulder surgery. Xavier Bartlett has also been retained despite being overlooked for the Champions Trophy when Australia’s big three fast bowlers were all absent.
Fraser-McGurk’s absence is notable given he earned an upgrade for playing five ODIs and seven T20Is in the 2024-25 period. He was in the Champions Trophy squad but was not selected for the semi-final when opener Matt Short was injured, with Connolly picked ahead of him having not been in initial 15.
Sam Konstas looks on Getty Images
T20 specialists Marcus Stoinis and Tim David have also been left off the list as they were last year. Both qualified for upgrades in the 2024-25 period with Stoinis receiving his before retiring from ODI cricket on the eve of the Champions Trophy.
Players have the opportunity to upgrade to national contracts in the 12-month period via selection in Test, ODI and T20I cricket.
Stoinis, David, Fraser-McGurk, Connolly, Abbott, Hardie, as well as white-ball bowlers Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis and Tanveer Sangha, who played in the Champions Trophy, will have the chance to earn an upgrade given Australia are set to play 19 bilateral T20Is across five series in 2025-26 as well as the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February and March next year.
They will also play nine ODIs across three series. Australia only play seven Test matches in 2025-26 contract period, the last two of the West Indies tour and the five home Ashes Tests.
cricket Australia men’s contract list 2025-26
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, Adam Zampa