Ben Stokes has signed a contract to play for the Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL16), marking his first franchise deal since retiring from international cricket with England in late June. The deal is reported to be worth around £265,000, a record fee for the competition following the league’s shift to a direct-signing model that grants teams greater flexibility in player payments.

The Big Bash season runs from mid-December to late January, overlapping with England’s Test tour of South Africa. It remains possible that Stokes, 35, could also participate in the SA20 tournament, which begins on January 17 in South Africa, shortly after the regular BBL fixture list concludes. Stokes is already signed to represent MI Cape Town in the 2025 SA20 season.

Stokes previously played in the Big Bash during the 2014-15 season for the Melbourne Renegades, appearing in four matches. His signing with the Adelaide Strikers reunites him with coach Tim Paine, former Australia captain, who led the side last season. Paine was also captain during Australia’s 2019 Ashes series when Stokes famously scored a match-winning century at Headingley. The Strikers currently include players such as Alex Carey and Travis Head, both key figures for Australia in Test cricket, with Carey having participated in last season’s BBL campaign.

Stokes expressed enthusiasm about joining the Strikers, highlighting his longstanding enjoyment of playing cricket in Australia and his appreciation for Adelaide Oval as a venue. He described the Big Bash as a strong competition and praised the Strikers' squad as an exciting group, stating his eagerness to contribute to a successful season.

Paine acknowledged Stokes as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders and a proven match-winner who excels under pressure. The Strikers' previous highest-paid player was England white-ball specialist Luke Wood, who earned a salary equivalent to about £220,000 the prior season.

Several BBL teams reportedly expressed interest in securing Stokes’s services, with the Sydney Sixers briefly considered frontrunners. His move to play franchise cricket in Australia after retiring from international duty draws parallels with Ian Botham, the former England all-rounder who joined Queensland following the slowdown of his Test career in the late 1980s.