HAMPSHIRE captain James Vince is likely to miss the 2025 County Championship season after being selected as one of six English players for the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Vince, who has captained Hampshire for the past seven seasons and averages over 41 in first-class cricket, is in talks with the county about switching to a white-ball-only contract.

This could allow him to represent Hampshire in the T20 Blast and play in The Hundred, but it appears unlikely he will feature in the County Championship this summer.

Nick Gubbins and Ben Brown are among the candidates to replace Vince as skipper, while the County Championship is the only domestic competition Vince has not won.

The PSL's decision to shift its usual February-March schedule to April 8-May 19 has sparked controversy as it now overlaps with the Indian Premier League and the first half of the County Championship.

In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has implemented new rules around No-Objection Certificates, making it harder for England-contracted players and red-ball county cricketers to participate in the PSL.

As a result, many county players opted out of the PSL, but Vince was retained by the Karachi Kings on a deal reportedly worth £100,000.

The loss of a player of Vince's calibre is a blow to the red-ball format, though the ECB may see the departure of Vince and others as an acceptable trade-off to protect the domestic season.

With Hampshire now in the process of appointing a new captain, the county will hope to overcome Vince's absence as they aim to challenge for the Championship title.