Bashir, Pope given new England contracts as Crocombe, Cox handed first deals

Ben Stokes and Mark Wood's deals finish after international retirements; Zak Crawley's not renewed; 39 players contracted with 11 deals running until 2028, including Sonny Baker, who is upgraded to two-year deal; England add ex-South Africa international Eric Simons to Test coaching staff

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England have renewed the central contracts of Ollie Pope and Shoaib Bashir for one year despite the duo dropping out of the Test XI but Zak Crawley's expiring deal has not been extended.

A total of 39 players are now under contract with Ollie Robinson, uncapped fellow seamer Henry Crocombe and Crawley's replacement as opener in the Test side, Emilio Gay , among eight previously uncontracted players to be rewarded with full deals.

They join batters Jordan Cox, Dan Lawrence and Tom Banton and pacemen Sam Cook and Matthew Fisher , with all but Robinson - who had a deal in 2022 and 2023 - handed contracts for the first time.

In: Ollie Robinson, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox*, Dan Lawrence, Tom Banton, Henry Crocombe*, Sam Cook, Matthew Fisher.

Out: Zak Crawley, Luke Wood, Tom Lawes (developmental deal).

Other players under contract: Joe Root*, Harry Brook*, Jofra Archer*, Gus Atkinson*, Sonny Baker,* Jacob Bethell*, Sam Curran*, Will Jacks*, Josh Tongue*, Rehan Ahmed, Shoaib Bashir, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith.

Development deals: James Coles, Mason Crane, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, Thomas Rew, Matthew Revis, Mitch Stanley.

Cox, who has become an important player across formats, and Crocombe, who could make his debut in this month's ODI tri-series in Pakistan, have signed two-year agreements until September 30, 2028.

Surrey-bound seamer Crocombe came to wider attention earlier this season when he took back-to-back hat-tricks for Sussex in the County Championship against Somerset and Essex on his way to taking 40 wickets at an average of 23.52.

Eleven players all told are under contract until autumn 2028, including Test captain Joe Root, white-ball skipper Harry Brook and seamers Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue.

The deals of Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Will Jacks and Sonny Baker also run until then, with Hampshire quick Baker upgraded to a two-year deal after a strong summer.

Batter Ben Duckett and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith's deals expire in 2027 and when asked why they were not presented with two-year contracts, England managing director of men's cricket Rob Key said: "We feel this is the best thing that gets the best out of those guys."

Seamer Brydon Carse , who has not played for England since an incident outside a Derby nightclub in August that saw him briefly arrested, remains contracted until the end of September 2027 having penned a two-year deal last autumn.

Former captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Mark Wood's contracts have finished following their international retirements.

Nine development deals have been given out, to James Coles, Mason Crane, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, Thomas Rew, Matthew Revis and Mitch Stanley.

Glamorgan leg-spinner Crane could make his first England appearance in over eight years in the upcoming tri-series in the subcontinent that also includes Sri Lanka.

Somerset wicketkeeper-batter Thomas Rew, 18 - whose older brother James played a Test against New Zealand in 2026 - is the youngest player on the contract list.

Batter Pope has not played for England since being dropped for Jacob Bethell after the third Ashes Test last winter having averaged 20.83 in the series to that point, but was included in squads for the 3-0 Test rout at home to Pakistan this summer.

Off-spinner Bashir has also been handed a fresh contract despite appearing in only two Tests in the last year, both against New Zealand in June.

He did not feature at all during the 4-1 Ashes thrashing in Australia with all-rounder Jacks preferred as the spin option, while he sat out the Pakistan series as part-time spinner Lawrence earned the nod to support the four-pronged pack attack due to his batting ability.

All-rounder Rehan Ahmed , who lost his place in the ODI squad for this month's tri-series in Pakistan , is given new terms, too, with Crawley and left-arm seamer Luke Wood the only senior players whose deals were due to elapse not awarded an extension.

Surrey's seam-bowling all-rounder Tom Lawes was on a development deal for 2025-26, which has not been renewed.

Crawley was dropped after averaging 27.30 during The Ashes, while white-ball specialist Wood has not featured since a T20 international against India at Chester-le-Street in July.

Robinson made a triumphant return to international cricket this summer after over two years in exile, picking up 28 wickets in four Tests against New Zealand and Pakistan at an average below 10, claiming two five-fors and a best of 5-39.

Batters Cox, Gay and Lawrence also helped England sweep Pakistan, while Cox and Banton were then part of T20 and one-day international series wins over Sri Lanka in September.

Cox hit fifties in all three Tests against Pakistan after stepping in for the injured Bethell at No 3, while his maiden ODI half-century came versus Sri Lanka in the series decider as he deputised for Jos Buttler following the former captain's hamstring strain.

Banton - who was also involved in the 4-0 T20I thrashing of India in July - scored his first international hundred against Sri Lanka in the final ODI at The Kia Oval, having struck 73 in the previous game and also an unbeaten fifty in the second T20I between the sides.

Lawrence, like Cox, contributed three Test fifties against Pakistan after replacing Stokes in the XI, while opener Gay has three half-centuries in six Tests since taking the axed Crawley's spot, firstly against New Zealand at Lord's in June.

One of Cox, Gay and Lawrence may have to miss out on the Test XI in South Africa this winter with Bethell with set to return.

That three-match series, new head coach Stephen Fleming's first assignment in charge, starts on December 17, live on Sky Sports .

Carse faced no punishment after a police investigation following the Derby incident but was then charged by the Cricket Regulator for breaching conduct regulations.

The Durham quick, who has played county cricket since the incident, remains available for England selection.

It is understood decisions around his involvement are being taken on a tour-by-tour basis.

Key said on Monday of Carse, who was England's leading wicket-taker during the Ashes drubbing with 22 scalps: "I don't see, at the moment, anything to suggest he won't continue on that contract, but we will find out more as it goes on.

"We feel Brydon just needs to get his house in order. Once all this is dealt with, we will decide if he can play international cricket again."

England also announced an update to their coaching staff with former South Africa international Eric Simons joining Fleming's Test group for the South Africa tour, having previously worked with the New Zealander at IPL side Chennai Super Kings.

Simons, 64, played 23 one-day internationals for the Proteas between 1994 and 1995.

Marcus Trescothick remains part of the red-ball backroom team, with Richard Dawson - the ECB's new lead spin-bowling coach and former Glamorgan head coach - and ex-England and Essex wicketkeeper James Foster also involved.