Davies, 31, was appointed to the role ahead of the 2024 season, and topped the County Championship batting averages in his first season in charge, scoring 1,115 runs at 50.68, with four hundreds.
On his watch, Warwickshire finishing seventh, then fifth in Division One of the Championship, and twice topped the North Group of the Vitality Blast although they were unable to progress past the subsequent quarter-finals.
“Captaining the Bears has been undoubtedly the proudest few years of my career to date,” Davies said. “To be part of moulding and building a squad capable of winning trophies has been a real privilege.
“In order for that to happen, I believe I need to be firing on all cylinders with the bat and gloves which is why I’ll be stepping down from the captaincy duties ahead of the 2026 season.”
Barnard, who joined from Worcestershire in 2023, already captains the One-Day side, and has been Davies’ deputy in the Championship and Blast for the past two seasons.
“I couldn’t be passing the Bears on to a better person in Ed,” Davies said. “When asking him to be my vice-captain two years ago it was clear to me that one day he was going to be a great captain, and it’s his time now. I look forward to being there for him every step of the way should he ever need.
“I’d like to say thanks to all the players and staff for their unwavering support throughout my tenure, and look forward to still giving my all to the bear moving forward.”
Barnard, 30, was named captain of the PCA Men’s Team of the Year 2025, having scored a career-best 922 Championship runs, as well as taking 29 wickets.
“I’m very proud and honoured to be offered the chance to captain Warwickshire,” Barnard said. “I’m very aware of following in the footsteps of some great cricketers and people, and it’s humbling to be added to the list. I’ve really enjoyed working under Davo and hope to continue the progress the group has made over recent seasons.
Ian Westwood, Bears’ Head Coach, said: “I’d firstly like to thank Davo for his commitment to the Captaincy role over the last couple of years. He has poured his heart and soul into leading the group. Even though he won’t continue in the role, we will benefit from having his experience and leadership qualities around the squad.
“Barney is a natural successor and we are delighted he’s accepted the offer to become our next captain. He already has captaincy experience from leading the boys in 50-over cricket and is perfectly placed to take on the mantle in the County Championship and Vitality Blast.
“He is not the loudest in the dressing room but has the enviable quality of demanding respect through the way he conducts himself and offers his opinions in the right way. We’ve got a group who are growing in confidence from the pre-season tour to South Africa and we’re raring to go with Barney at the helm.”