Former England captain Ben Stokes will play for Adelaide Strikers in this season's Big Bash League.
The Durham all-rounder may become the most expensive player in the league's history after securing a deal to play in the BBL for the second time in his career.
Cricinfo are reporting that Stokes will be available for the entirety of the 2026/27 campaign, becoming the first overseas player to join since the introduction of the new contracting system. The fresh structure has returned the BBL back to a direct-signing model and has allowed clubs more freedom when it comes to spending their money.
Adelaide's capture of Stokes is expected to be one of a range of big name signings heading into the autumn, with his deal reportedly somewhere in the region of AU$500,000.
This far exceeds the previous top band for overseas signings that was set at AU$420,000 in the platinum level of the BBL Draft.
A number of sides were chasing Stokes' signature before the 35-year-old announced that he had put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the Strikers in a statement on Tuesday morning.
"I'm really excited to be joining the Adelaide Strikers for BBL|16," Stokes said.
"I've always enjoyed playing in Australia, and when the opportunity came up to join the Strikers it was one I couldn't pass up.
"Adelaide Oval is an incredible place to play cricket, the Big Bash is a fantastic competition and the Strikers have an exciting group, so I'm looking forward to meeting the players, getting stuck in and contributing to a successful season.
"I can't wait to get started, create some special memories with the group and give Strikers fans plenty to cheer about."
Adelaide Strikers are 15/2 to win their second BBL title after suffering a league stage exit last season.
Englishmen Jamie Overton and Luke Wood were both part of their squad in 2025/26, however, it remains to be seen whether or not they will return when they begin their new campaign on Wednesday 16th December against Sydney Thunder.
