New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell is no longer a centrally contracted player. The centrally contracted players are usually expected to put country above everything else, which basically means prioritise international cricket over franchise temptations all over the world. In light of Bracewell being all set to play the Big Bash League in Australia later this year, his central contract has been withdrawn, and in its place, a casual one is made to accommodate the T20 League.
India travel to New Zealand later this month for a full series, starting with five T20Is, and Bracewell will be part of the 20-overs contest. He thanked New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for the casual contract and said he was looking forward to playing against the Shreyas Iyer-led team. “The backing from New Zealand Cricket for me to take this opportunity at this stage of my career means a lot.
“As a white-ball only player, this felt like too good an opportunity to pass up. I’m still very much committed to the BLACKCAPS and can’t wait to be involved in the upcoming India tour and future white-ball series.
“I’ve also got my eyes firmly fixed on the opportunity to be involved in the inaugural NZ20, which is set to be introduced from next summer.”
Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, and Tim Seifert are the other players to have been given the casual contract for the 2026-27 season.
Nick Kelly is the cricketer who replaces Bracewell in the central contract list. Since his debut last year, the 33-year-old has played 15 white-ball games and given a good account of himself. New Zealand coach Rob Walter has welcomed the onboarding of Kelly, with whom he has worked in the past in domestic cricket.
“Nick’s been a standout performer in domestic cricket for several seasons now, and it’s a testament to his hard work that he’s earned this first contract at this stage of his career.
“Introducing players like Nick to international cricket a bit later certainly has its advantages in terms of the player knowing their game and being able to trust themselves to perform under pressure,” he said.
“Nick stuck his hand up with his performances against Bangladesh and the West Indies in what were at times challenging batting conditions.
“He has more than 300 professional matches under his belt and is one of the best fielders in the country, so he adds a lot to our contracted group,” he added.
