Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday revealed the central contract list for the 2026/27 season, which read less like an administrative update and more as a subtle hint at transition, while showcasing where the board's priorities lay in the impending cycle. It included the expected Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne. And then there were omissions.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell is no longer part of contracted group (AP)
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The most notable of the misses was Glenn Maxwell, a long-standing symbol of Australia in white-ball cricket, who last featured in the national jersey at the recent T20 World Cup, and is currently not part of the IPL 2026 as he had opted out of the auction to focus on his form and fitness after a disappointing 2025 performance.
Why did CA drop Maxwell?
There are two aspects to that. Firstly, the chairman of selectors, George Bailey, clearly explained that the next 12 months for Australia are heavily packed with Test assignments. The team will play against Bangladesh (home), South Africa (away), New Zealand (home), India (away), the 150th anniversary Test against England, a possible World Test Championship final and the start of the 2027 Ashes. Hence, the board has particularly recalibrated accordingly for the particularly demanding stretch of Test cricket. And with Maxwell far from being in the reckoning for a spot in the Test team, he missed the cut. His last appearance in whites was in 2017.
Australia also have three ODI series lined up during the season - against Zimbabwe (away), South Africa (away) and England (home), but Maxwell is no longer an active player in the 50-over format, having retired last June.
Then come T20Is. Australia have just one five-match contest in the format at home, against England. Hence, CA did not see the need to include T20I-only players in the contract list, meaning not just Maxwell but Marcus Stoinis and Tim David also missed the cut.
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The second aspect would be age. At 37, Australia might want to look beyond Maxwell for the next T20 World Cup tournament, which will be held in 2028.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Explained: Why Cricket Australia dropped Glenn Maxwell from men's central contract list for 2026-27
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