Cooper Connolly sidelined from contract [Source: AP]Australian batting sensation Cooper Connolly set the stage on fire in his IPL debut, powering Punjab Kings to a fighting win over Gujarat Titans. Batting first, the Titans posted a respectable 162-run total, riding on useful contributions from Jos Buttler, Shubman Gill and Glenn Phillips. Despite a middle-order collapse, triggered by Prasidh Krishna, Punjab Kings eventually went past the modest target, courtesy of a batting masterclass from Cooper Connolly. Coming at number three, the Australian southpaw hammered 72 runs off just 44 deliveries with the help of five boundaries and as many sixes. Although skipper Shreyas Iyer departed cheaply, Cooper Connolly ensured the Punjab Kings didn't lose the plot and chased the target successfully with five balls to spare. However, Connolly's IPL heroics were insufficient to earn him the Australia Central Contract, as the promising cricketer was surprisingly left out of the final list. Cooper Connolly among notable absentees from Australia Central ContractCricket Australia (CA) announced the Australia Central Contracts a few hours after Cooper Connolly propelled the Punjab Kings to a glorious IPL victory over Gujarat Titans at the Mullanpur Stadium. He had a decent BBL season, where he exhibited his all-round skills for Perth Scorchers, amassing 209 runs and scalping 15 wickets in the 2025-26 season. However, his exploits in T20 leagues couldn't prompt the national selectors to reward him with a central contract. Also read: Why Shreyas Iyer Didn't Ask Cooper Connolly To Bowl In PBKS vs GT IPL MatchWith the men's team preparing for multiple Test assignments, including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, CA prioritised Test specialists for the Australia central contract. As a result, Connolly, being primarily a white-ball cricketer, missed out on selection. Sam Konstas, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson dropped from Australia central contractWhile Cooper Connolly failed to bag a spot in the Australia central contract, the explosive batting duo of Sam Konstas and Glenn Maxwell were two big names to be dropped from the final list. Maxwell's struggle with form is believed to have led to his exclusion, while Konstas was shown the exit door following a string of shambolic Test outings as an opener. Jake Weatherald, who made his Test debut in the Ashes 2025-26, has been included in the central contract. The Aussies have retained the core of their pace battery, persisting with the ageing quartet of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood ahead of a packed WTC schedule. As reported earlier, Jhye Richardson is one of the surprising names to miss out on the Australia central contracts. Fast-bowling allrounder Michael Neser and ace spinner Todd Murphy are back in the central contracts, with Australia aiming to revamp their bowling group in Test cricket. Here's the full list of players in the Australia central contract for 2026-27. Australia Central Contract list for 2026-27Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Brendan Doggett, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Adam ZampaAlso read: Shreyas Iyer Punished Brutally By BCCI After His 1st Match In IPL 2026
