Live Update: Shoaib Bashir set to retain ECB contract despite limited England Test role Spinner played just twice in Tests this summer, and did not bowl in one of those matches The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 The smile of a champion – Mohammed Siraj picked up five wickets in a ten-ball period, India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup final, Colombo, September 17, 2023 Alyssa Healy poses with the trophy after Australia retained the Ashes, England vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Women’s Ashes, Taunton, July 18, 2023 The standards by which Harmanpreet Kaur was eventually judged was reflective of what she had helped create as ctain Harmanpreet Kaur walks off the field after India’s big win against Netherlands, India Women vs Netherlands Women, T20 World Cup 2026, Leeds, June 17, 2026 Mandhana, who has been part of the side since 2013, has previously led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs Smriti Mandhana looks on in the field, India vs South Africa, Women’s World Cup final, Navi Mumbai, November 2, 2025 Ind vs Zim – Niki Prasad, Jintimani Kalita and Nandani Sharma the new faces in Smriti Mandhana-led white-ball sides Shafali Verma has been elevated to the vice-ctaincy of the T20I side, while Dee Sharma will do the job in the ODI side for the games against Zimbabwe India U-19 ctain Niki Prasad is all smiles, India vs South Africa, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup warm-ups, Malaysia, January 15, 2025 Harmanpreet Kaur ctained India to back-to-back Asian Games gold medal, India vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games women’s competition final, Nisshin, September 22, 2026 Everyone thought he was a late-order hitter and an occasional bowler.
West Indies – and India too – found out in the first T20I that Naman Dhir is a match-winning offspinner too Naman Dhir picked up two key wickets on debut, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026 Shreyas Iyer hammered a 42-ball century to help India over the line, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026 Tanmay Baloda picked up eight wickets in the second Australia Under-19 innings to set up a target of just 11, which India Under-19 knocked off in just five balls India Under-19 star Lakshya Raichandani has scored prolifically over the past year, moving from one format to the other without a pause, seemingly without any problems Lakshya Raichandani tonned up in the second innings, Sri Lanka Under-19 vs India Under-19, 2nd Youth Test, 3rd day, Colombo, July 22, 2026 Rajat Patidar scored a valiant fifty in India A’s chase of 275 but they slid to a 125-run defeat in the first unofficial ODI Nathan McSweeney hits through the off side, India A vs Australia A, 1st one-dayer, Puducherry, October 6, 2026 Priyansh Arya is in India A’s squad to face the visiting Australia A side for three one-dayers, and trusts his high-risk-high-reward game to give him the results Priyansh Arya plays down the ground, Sri Lanka A vs India A, 1st match, One-day tri-series, Dambulla, June 9, 2026 Scott will feature in the one-day series against India A after his exploits in the Big Bash League and recent unofficial Test series in Puducherry After years of setbacks and self-imposed pressure, a new outlook has given Renshaw the balance to embrace an unexpected three-format international comeback For the players coming into the Australia side after Sandpergate, it was bittersweet, but also a dream come true The Australian team during the national anthems, South Africa v Australia, 4th Test, Johannesburg, 1st day, March 30, 2018 Cameron Green reacts after copping a blow while batting, South Africa vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, September 30, 2026 The ghosts of Sandpergate still hang over the rivals as Australia make it back to the country for the first Test tour since 2018 Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins, the two ctains, wait to walk out with their players, Australia vs South Africa, World Test Championship final, Lord’s, June 11, 2025 Varun Chakravarthy is also back for India after missing the Asian Games, while Ravi Bishnoi has been left out Bhuvneshwar Kumar ran through Mumbai Indians’ top order, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, IPL, Raipur, May 10, 2026 Dhruv Jurel has been named the ctain of the side, while Rishabh Pant has been picked but his participation will be subject to fitness Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul had a job to do after being in the field for close to two days, India vs South Africa, 2nd Test, Guwahati, 2nd day, November 23, 2025 Rishabh Pant is back at Delhi Citals from Lucknow Super Giants, and Yuvraj Singh is expected to join the franchise as batting coach Tanmay Baloda picked up eight wickets in the second Australia Under-19 innings to set up a target of just 11, which India Under-19 knocked off in just five balls Shoaib Bashir chipped out important wickets, Derbyshire vs Northamptonshire, County Championship, Division Two, Derby, May 11, 2026 Shoaib Bashir is set to retain his England central contract, despite playing only two Tests in the past 12 months. Bashir, who turns 23 next week, played twice in England’s 2-1 series loss to New Zealand this summer, but was an unused squad member throughout their 3-0 win over Pakistan. Bashir’s prospects of selection have fallen sharply since Ben Stokes’ international retirement forced England to rebalance their Test team, but he is likely to feature on their winter tours.
England may stick with an all-seam attack for their tour to South Africa (December-January) depending on conditions, with Stephen Fleming due to start his new role as Test head coach in that three-match series. But they will need frontline spin oons in Bangladesh in February, and Bashir will come back into contention despite a quiet first season with Derbyshire. Bashir was first picked on England’s tour to India in early 2024 and was their first-choice spinner for the next 18 months.
But since breaking a finger against India at Lord’s last July, he has only played twice – including one Test where he did not bowl a ball – and was a peripheral figure throughout last winter’s tour to Australia. has learned that Bashir’s name is set to feature when the ECB release the names of their centrally-contracted players for the 2026-27 cycle, with the announcement pushed back from this week to next. Stokes and Mark Wood will both drop off the contract list after their international retirements, freeing up significant funds for other players.
Jordan Cox , Emilio Gay , Dan Lawrence and Ollie Robinson are all expected to win deals after breaking into England’s Test team this summer, while Tom Banton is also set to earn his first central contract after his strong white-ball form. Rehan Ahmed ‘s contract is set to be renewed despite him losing his spot for next month’s ODI tri-series in Pakistan. Brydon Carse, who is under investigation by the Cricket Regulator after a charge of bringing the game into disrepute, is heading into the second year of a two-year contract he was offered last year, as are many of England’s all-format regulars such as Jofra Archer, Harry Brook and Josh Tongue.
The ECB offered 26 men’s central contracts last year, plus four pace-bowling development contracts. Stokes and Wood’s retirements could prompt the total number of offers to grow slightly as well as some pay rises, given both were among England’s highest-earning players. Rob Key , England’s managing director, oversaw a significant change in the ECB’s contracting system in 2023 when he offered players multi-year contracts for the first time.
Some of those long-term deals have backfired – Jonny Bairstow, for example, did not play in the final year of his contract – but ECB chief executive Richard Gould defended the system recently. “We need to make sure that we retain the best players,” Gould told the Stick to Cricket podcast last week. “That’s why we’ve invested a lot more into the players in terms of salaries… I do think the players are owed a degree of security as well, because what hpens if a player gets injured in June or July, and they’re on a one-year contract?” Shoaib Bashir chipped out important wickets, Derbyshire vs Northamptonshire, County Championship, Division Two, Derby, May 11, 2026 Shoaib Bashir claimed 24 wickets at 47.70 for Derbyshire this season • Maynard Manyowa/ Bashir ruled out of last two England vs India Tests with fractured finger Ben Stokes to retire from international cricket after third Test Fleming late start confirms England’s wasted summer Brydon Carse charged by Cricket Regulator following Derby nightclub incident Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at .
