[REVISION HISTORY]

Ben Stokes joining Adelaide Strikers

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 07:51 UTC → 2026-09-08 07:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Former England captain Ben Stokes has signed a one-year contract with the Adelaide Strikers for the 2026-27 Big Bash League season. The deal is reportedly valued at approximately AUD 500,000, making it one of the most expensive contracts in the tournament’s history. Stokes is the first international player to sign under the league’s new direct-signing contracting model. Adelaide Strikers head coach Tim Paine indicated that the 35-year-old ~~all-rounder~~ may be utilized in a new role as an opening batter, potentially forming a partnership with team captain Matt Short. Paine ~~noted that the pace and bounce of Australian pitches are well-suited to Stokes’s aggressive playing style and~~ described ~~him~~ Stokes as a “terrific ambassador for cricket” and a “proven match-winner.” This marks Stokes’s return to the Big Bash League for the first time in over a decade, following his retirement from the England captaincy earlier this year. In a notable personal arrangement, Australian opener Travis Head will serve as Stokes’s housemate during the season. Head, who recently played against Stokes’s England side in the Ashes, described the signing as one of the most significant for the competition in years, expressing hope that high-calibre stars will help transform the league into a “powerhouse competition.”

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.