Veteran opener David Warner, Ashton Agar, and Marcus Stoinis have been left out of Cricket Australia’s centrally-contracted players list for the 2024-25 season. Additionally, Marcus Harris and Michael Neser were among the 23 players who did not secure contracts for the upcoming season, as reported by ‘cricket.com.au’.
Australia is gearing up for a busy season ahead with the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June, followed by a home Test series against India later in the year. David Warner had already announced his retirement after the T20 World Cup and is currently playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
Notably, Marcus Stoinis was a surprising exclusion from the contracted players’ list despite his ongoing participation with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. However, there is a possibility of his inclusion in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, even though he missed Australia’s recent tour of New Zealand due to a back injury.
Among the new faces on this year’s central contract list are pacers Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis, along with batters Matt Short from Victoria and Aaron Hardie from Western Australia. These four players have already made their international debut for Australia, with impressive performances in various series.
George Bailey, the national selection chair, commended the new additions, stating, “Matt, Aaron, and Xavier have shown great promise in their international outings. The panel believes in their potential and has rewarded them with contracts as they continue to strive towards establishing themselves in the Australian team.”
The contracted men’s players for the 2024-25 season include a mix of experienced and upcoming talents such as Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and newcomers like Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matt Short, and Aaron Hardie, among others. This blend aims to strengthen the Australian squad for the upcoming cricketing challenges.
