- Former England captain Ben Stokes has signed a deal with the Adelaide Strikers for the 2026/27 Big Bash League season, marking his first winter stint since retiring from international cricket.
- The 35-year-old all-rounder, who previously played in the tournament for the Melbourne Renegades during the 2024/25 campaign, expressed his excitement about competing at the Adelaide Oval.
- Reports in Australia suggest that the lucrative contract is worth approximately AU$500,000 (£264,000) following the competition's return to a direct-signing model.
- Stokes retired from Test cricket in June after a four-year tenure as captain, but has continued playing domestic cricket for Durham in the County Championship and One-Day Cup.
- The Big Bash League season is scheduled to start on 12 December, with Stokes likely to make his Strikers debut against David Warner and the Sydney Thunder on 16 December.
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