Ben Stokes Set to Play First League After International Retirement
Ben Stokes is set to return to franchise cricket after a break from international cricket. The former England captain is expected to play in the forthcoming Big Bash League (BBL), marking his first league appearance since retiring from international cricket.
Notably, on June 28, Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket, stating that the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge would be his final match.
Stokes can now play in franchise leagues all over the world because he no longer has any international commitments. As a result, several T20 teams have expressed an interest in signing the veteran all-rounder.
Ben Stokes to Join BBL Following International Retirement
According to Code Sports, Cricket Australia officials are growing increasingly convinced that Ben Stokes will participate in the 2026-27 Big Bash League. Furthermore, other BBL franchises are keen in signing him, with the Sydney Sixers presently leading the way.
Initially, it was unclear if Stokes would spend Christmas with his family in England or travel to Australia for the BBL.
Notably, there was conjecture that he would boycott the competition and instead focus on the SA20 league, which begins in mid-January following England’s Test series against South Africa.
However, recent sources indicate that Stokes is now considering playing at least a portion of the BBL season.
Although player signings are temporarily halted owing to continuing negotiations between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association over new player list rules, league officials remain optimistic that an agreement will be achieved soon.
Furthermore, the Sydney Sixers have emerged as favourites to sign him. One of the primary reasons for this is the hiring of former England white-ball coach Matthew Mott as the Sixers’ new head coach.
Interestingly, Mott and Stokes had a good partnership during England’s winning 2022 T20 World Cup campaign. Their good working relationship could help persuade the all-rounder to join the Sydney team.
Furthermore, with the overseas player draft set to be eliminated, international talents such as Stokes will be able to sign directly with organisations. According to reports, these contracts may be worth more than $300,000, making the BBL an enticing alternative for foreign players.
Ben Stokes’ Previous BBL Record.
Although it has been several years since Ben Stokes last played in the BBL, he is no stranger to the competition. Notably, he had represented the Melbourne Renegades over a decade ago.
During his previous BBL outing, Stokes hit 128 runs in four innings with an excellent strike rate of 156. In addition to his performances with the bat, he took three wickets.
Aside from the BBL, Stokes has competed in numerous major T20 tournaments, including the IPL, Vitality Blast, and The Hundred. In 162 T20 innings, the England legend has scored 3,027 runs and taken 93 wickets.
