Ben Stokes 'okay' with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contracts to make fortune elsewhere

England's Test captain Ben Stokes admits he is very comfortable with players deciding against signing ECB's new central contract and instead finding fortune elsewhere. Earlier, with reports suggesting some of England's players have opted to prioritise playing franchise-based cricket rather than committing to remain available for the national team, fans and pundits were divided over the opinion.

England's new central contracts are up for renewal next month, and ECB chief executive Richard Gould pledged earlier this year saying, the system, which he referred to as 'an existential issue', needs an overhauling. To ensure that England are playing top sides across formats, the ECB will offer multi-year deals to some players to tie them down for an extended period rather than just 12 months.

Ben Stokes, however, accepts players' inclination to make more money playing the lesser-stressed format across different leagues. England's ace-seamer Mark Wood is the latest player to have expressed his desire to skip the upcoming five-match Test series against India in 2024 to play the ILT10 in the UAE.

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Seasoned campaigner Wood, on Wednesday, told The Telegraph he would see what ECB has to offer to him, admitting though he wishes to continue playing for England, ECB's contract will help him decide on his future.

"I want to play for England as long as I can, but it just depends on what they say, what they want me to do, and how they view the structure going forward," Wood told The Telegraph. "Playing both [the ILT20 and the India Tests] is not a viable option for England… I will wait and see what happens with the upcoming central contracts and then make a decision from there."

Stokes 'understands' cricket's changing landscape

Returning to playing ODI cricket in over a year, Stokes, on the eve of the first One-Dayer against New Zealand, said he understands why players would choose a different path than committing to play for England. The legendary cricketer said with the changing dynamics, players are getting more chances to make a fortune out of, adding he cannot start to question that.

"We know now that the whole landscape of cricket is changing. That is great for the individuals who are still within the game but also the guys who are coming through. The opportunities that are presented now for cricketers are amazing, and it's great for the sport.

"The more opportunities that come, the more people will be attracted to the sport and try to make a career out of it. Everyone's at a different point in their life, not just in their career, where other things have to be thought about by the individual. If a person makes a decision because they think it's not only best for themselves but also the future and security of their family then it's very hard to disagree with that," Stokes said.

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