Ben Stokes Joins Adelaide Strikers for BBL|16

The Big Bash League has landed a headline act. Ben Stokes, the former England all‑rounder who walked away from international cricket in June, is heading to Adelaide Strikers for the 2026-27 season.

The club confirmed the deal on Tuesday, a signing that instantly shifts the balance of star power in Australia’s premier Twenty20 competition. At 35, Stokes is no longer the Ashes firebrand tormenting Australian batters in whites, but he remains one of the game’s great box-office cricketers.

Stokes will pocket around A$500,000 (£264,000) for his stint, a figure that places him among the most expensive players in Big Bash history.

For a league that has long chased marquee names, this is a statement that the BBL still has serious pull.

Stokes, never one to underplay the theatre of a big stage, sounded energised by the move.

“I’m really excited to be joining the Adelaide Strikers for BBL|16,” he said in a statement.

Adelaide Oval, he added, is “an incredible place to play cricket”, while the Big Bash itself remains “a fantastic competition”. The Strikers, he said, have “an exciting group”, and he is keen to “meet the players, get stuck in and contributing to a successful season.”

It is a striking twist in a familiar rivalry. Once the scourge of Australian hopes in Test arenas from Headingley to the MCG, Stokes will now be cheered by Australian fans in blue, not booed as the Ashes villain in red.

Adding another layer of intrigue, he will play under Tim Paine, the former Australia captain now in charge of the Strikers. Paine knows better than most what Stokes can do to an Australian side under pressure, and he made no attempt to hide his delight.

“Ben is one of the greatest all-rounders the game has seen, a proven match-winner and a competitor who thrives under pressure,” Paine said.

“We’re thrilled to have a player of his ability join our squad and can’t wait to see him put on a show.”

For Adelaide, it is exactly that: a showpiece signing. A player built for packed summer nights, for chasing down impossible totals, for changing a game in a single over with bat or ball.

For the Big Bash, it is a reminder of what the competition can still be when a global star walks through the gates of Adelaide Oval and the lights snap on.