Ben Stokes in shock!: Jamie Overton quits red-ball cricket, ditches Ashes for franchise paychecks

The 31-year-old England National Cricket Team pace-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton has made a shocking decision to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the development via a press release on Monday, September 1, and it comes as a massive blow to the Ben Stokes-led side ahead of the Ashes.

Jamie Overton has played 2 Tests for England

The Surrey all-rounder Overton has played 99 First-class matches in his career, and he has picked up 239 wickets at an average of 31.66. With the bat, he has scored 2410 runs in his red-ball career at an average of 21.51.

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His good performances in domestic cricket helped him represent England across all formats, and talking about Test cricket, he has played two matches for the country.

He made his debut against New Zealand at Headingley in Leeds in June 2022 and played his second match against India at the Kennington Oval in London in July-August 2025.

Overall, Jamie Overton has picked up 4 Test wickets and scored 106 runs. Jamie Overton was set to be on the flight to Australia for the Ashes 2025-26, but with his fresh decision, he will no longer be available for the marquee series.

The Ashes 2025-26 is set to take place across five iconic venues in Australia from November 2025 to January 2026.

I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket - Jamie Smith

In an official statement, Jamie Overton said that he took the decision to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket after thinking a lot, as he can't commit to all formats at this point in his career.

He added that he will completely shift his focus towards white-ball cricket. Notably, in a recent interview with The Telegraph, Jamie Overton hinted that he will be focusing a lot more on franchise cricket.

"After a great deal of thought, I have decided to take an indefinite break from red-ball cricket. I feel very fortunate to have played 99 first-class matches, including two Test matches for England," he said in a statement released by the ECB.

"Red-ball, first-class cricket has provided the foundation for my professional career and has been the gateway to every opportunity I’ve had in the game so far. It’s where I learnt the game, and it fuelled the goals and ambitions that have driven me for so long.

"However, at this stage of my career, with the demands of cricket across a 12-month calendar, it’s no longer possible to commit fully to all formats at every level, both physically and mentally. Going forward, my focus will be on white-ball cricket, and I will continue to give everything to play at the highest level for as long as I can."

He would have been part of our red-ball plans for the foreseeable future - Rob Key

England Men's Director of Cricket, Rob Key, was left disappointed with the development and revealed that Jamie Overton was part of their red-ball plans for the "foreseeable future". He said:

“Jamie’s news came unexpected and it is sad to see, as he would have been part of our red-ball plans for the foreseeable future.

“That said, it serves as a reminder of the cricketing landscape we now operate in. We respect his decision and are grateful to him for informing us when he did.”

The Ashes opener will take place at the Optus Stadium in Perth from November 21 to 25, and the finale will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 4 to 8, 2026.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s ODI farewell plans revealed by India star