- At least five senior players left unimpressed by initial offers
- Larger group of BBL stars considering playing overseas
- CA only offering 21 players contracts for 2026/27
At least five senior Australian players have been left unimpressed by the initial 2026/27 Cricket Australia (CA) contract offers that they have recently received, and are yet to sign them.
There is a larger group of Big Bash League (BBL) stars that are considering whether to play overseas during the summer. This is due to the stuttering BBL privatisation proposal that has stalled pay renegotiations.
The renegotiations would redress the fact that they have been earning between A$100 – 200,000 less than overseas players in recent years.
Current contracts
The current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) runs until mid-2028. This is the Australian players pay deal between CA and the Australian Cricket Association (ACA). Up to 24 national contracts were given out by national selectors for the 2026/27 financial year (July 1st 2026 – June 30th 2027). Those 24 players share A$21,916,257 in the year in base salaries.
Players are ranked and receive contracts based on importance and the number of games they are likely to play. The lowest player would earn a base of A$360,645. In addition, players also earn A$19,000 per Test, nearly A$8000 per ODI and around A$5000 per T20I in match payments.
There are win bonuses as well, with a Test win worth about A$30,000 per player in total. Add to that the CA marketing pool, which contracted players share depending on appearances with commercial partners.
Tension between Tests and White-ball
CA got a little creative this year by only offering 21 players contracts for 2026/27. This would mean fewer players could share more of the unchanged pool despite Australia playing an unprecedented 17 (possibly 18) Test in the financial year. In the same period, they will only play nine ODIs and five T20Is.
However, the priority of paying Test players has been a source of tension for the white-ball players. They feel that they can earn more than the offered CA deal if they went freelance.
There are also three-format players that are concerned about what they are missing out on if they have to rest from certain series, or if more minor bilateral series are being played while lucrative franchise tournaments are being played.
Australian captain Pat Cummins told CA of his concern in March about playing two Tests against Bangladesh in August. This would mean he would miss out on upwards of A$675,000 to play in the Hundred in England.
How the issue gets sorted in the short term is unclear. Australia have two white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh coming up, but they fall under the previous contract cycle. The first games of the 2026/27 cycle are the home Bangladesh Tests in August.
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