PAK vs ENG: Ben Stokes agrees to 2-year England deal, committing through 2025-26 Ashes

In a major boost for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the star all-rounder and red-ball skipper, Ben Stokes, has agreed to sign a two-year contract, which will lock in his place in the team until the 2025-26 Ashes series, reported The Guardian.

Ben Stokes is unarguably one of the greatest England cricketers of all time, and he has done a remarkable job for the team over the years. His best has come under pressure situations and on big stages, with the all-rounder delivering both with the bat and ball to steer his team to victories.

After playing a key role in England's Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup wins, Ben Stokes was handed the responsibility to bring the English team out of the crisis in Test cricket and the all-rounder didn't disappoint.

Ben Stokes joined forces with red-ball head coach Brendon McCullum and completely transformed the team. Under the new regime, the cricketers played with the Bazball approach and so far have won 19 out of 29 matches, with just one series loss against India away from home. Notably, under the old regime, the Three Lions had won just one out of 17 previous matches.

Ben Stokes has always given preference to England and even missed several matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to stay fully fit and perform for the national side. This commitment of Stokes is set to be established further with the all-rounder ready to sign a two-year central contract that secures his services through to the 2025-26 Ashes tour.

Also Read: PAK vs ENG: PCB struggles to finalize Test series schedule, venue issues create tension with ECB (cricketaddictor.com)

Ben Stokes Had Signed One-Year Deal Last Year

The 33-year-old had rejected the multi-year contract offered by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year and signed a one-year deal. The main reason behind Ben Stokes' decision was him being unsure of his future due to knee surgery which he was set to undergo.

Notably, Stokes was ­preparing for knee surgery when the ECB offered the central contracts to players last year, and he decided to keep his options open. Eventually, he underwent a successful knee surgery and made a comeback to Test cricket in the five-match series in India.

Meanwhile, Stokes is currently out of action due to a hamstring injury he picked up in The Hundred, but is recovering well and is set to make his return to the side on the Pakistan tour.

Talking about ECB central contracts, the board is unlikely to offer many long-term deals like last year this time around, as per the same report.

Only a few long-term contracts will be given because the multi-year deals are not fruitful for the board, with the likes of Jonny Bairstow being dropped due to poor form but getting a huge amount of money. Notably, he signed a two-year deal worth £800,000 a year last October.

Last year, the negotiations went on until halfway through Cricket World Cup 2023 and it was a major distraction for players, which led to England's disastrous show.

The new England central contract will likely be announced before the Pakistan tour, and Jamie Smith is set to receive his maiden contract, while Josh Hull could receive a development contract. Also, Ollie Pope and Jofra Archer are likely to receive an extension soon.