Former Australian Test opener Joe Burns has been released from the Queensland squad, with the Bulls unveiling eight newly contracted players ahead of the 2024/25 season.

On Friday morning, Queensland Cricket confirmed that Burns, who represented Australia in 23 Tests and six ODIs from 2014 to 2020, wouldn’t be part of the Bulls squad next season.

The 34-year-old, who made his Queensland debut in 2010, is the state’s sixth-leading run-scorer in Sheffield Shield history with 7361 runs at 39.36 including 15 centuries across 112 matches. The right-hander was also Queensland’s third-leading run-scorer of the 2023/24 season with 446 runs at 37.16, including a classy 133 against Tasmania in Hobart in October.

Burns, who played his last Test for Australia against India in December 2020, is also out of contract at Big Bash League franchise the Melbourne Stars.

James Bazley, Blake Edwards, Aryan Jain and Will Prestwidge also drop off Queensland’s contract list, while Test spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, who was not picked for any Sheffield Shield matches this summer, has also been released from the Bulls.

The left-armed tweaker, who represented Australia in three Tests during last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India, has been linked with a move to Tasmania.

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“We are confident they will continue to play a positive role in cricket and wish them every success in the future,’’ Joe Dawes, Queensland Cricket General Manager of Elite Cricket, said in a statement.

“As has been the case in the past, the players going off the list will have the chance to be upgraded to a playing contract during the season through selection in the Bulls first class and one-day teams based on their efforts at Premier Cricket and 2nd XI level.”

Queensland stars Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Xavier Bartlett earned national contracts, while a further 19 players received full state contracts, with an additional four on rookie deals.

Among the eight new faces at the Bulls are four members of Australia’s Under-19 World Cup squad that triumphed in South Africa earlier this year — Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Lachy Aitken and Tom Straker.

“It’s an exciting group of young players who come into the group and we’re ultra keen to see them make the most of the opportunity they have earned,’’ Dawes continued.

“Our results last season certainly weren’t to the level that we expect from the Bulls.

“Everyone involved with the group knows there are areas we can improve upon, and we are committed to working together to achieve better performances next season.

Queensland, who finished bottom of the Sheffield Shield ladder this summer, is also searching for a new head coach after Wade Seccombe stepped down from the role last month.