Reports: Ben Stokes to sign two-year contract with England

With the England and Wales Cricket Board presenting multi-year contracts for the first time, it was expected that star cricketer, Ben Stokes, would sign a deal exceeding a year, much like his colleagues. However, unlike the likes of Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Mark Wood (three years) or Ollie Pope and Jofra Archer (two years), Stokes only signed for one year in October 2023.

The ECB is eager to announce the central contracts before the English side leaves for Pakistan in October to play the three Tests there and is fully confident of Stokes being up and running to lead the side after recovering from a horrific hamstring pull while representing the Northern Superchargers during The Hundred 2024.

English cricket is all set to receive a fresh boost in terms of Stokes reported to be signing a central contract extending for two years which will confirm him to be a part of the roster for the tour Down Under during the 2025/26 season, as per a report by The Guardian.

According to the same report, a significant shot in the arm was Stokes’ readiness to commit for a longer horizon of time. This has only come as a refreshing flow of events after Brendon McCullum signed a contract to be integrated into the white-ball setup as their head coach, extending his ECB contract till 2027.

The Kiwi is primed to reassume authority of the white-ball side from interim coach Marcu Trescothick ahead of England’s tour to India. The other significant events he will be administering would be the two Ashes series, the T20 World Cup in 2026, and the ODI World Cup the following year.

Another stimulating element for the ECB would be keenness on display by Stokes to remain in close contact with McCullum, the two of whom have led England to 19 Test match wins in 29 games, with the English on a thread-like lean patch preceding their partnership, having just one in 17.

The same report also mentions the likelihood of the ECB offering extensions to the vice-captain of the Test side.