Post-Test retirement blockbuster! Ben Stokes leaning towards BBL move as Sydney Sixers lead race for signature
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Post-Test retirement blockbuster! Ben Stokes leaning towards BBL move as Sydney Sixers lead race for signature originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Ben Stokes reportedly leaning toward joining the BBL after his Test retirement announcement.
- Sydney Sixers emerge as favourites, boosted by coach Matthew Mott reunion.
- Overseas draft scrapped, allowing direct signings worth over $300,000 to clubs.
Ben Stokes edges closer to BBL return with Sydney Sixers tipped as frontrunners
Cricket Australia insiders are reportedly growing more confident that Ben Stokes could feature in this summer's Big Bash League, and rival franchises now see the Sydney Sixers as the club best placed to land him.
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Stokes walked away from Test cricket abruptly in late June and hasn't featured in the BBL since turning out for Melbourne Renegades more than ten years ago.
Once Stokes stepped down from England's captaincy and cut ties with international duty altogether, his schedule suddenly had room for far more franchise commitments. Every BBL club naturally had him on their radar, though it remained uncertain whether he'd give up spending Christmas at home for an Australian stint, or instead hold off and wait for South Africa's SA20, which only gets underway in mid-January once England's Test tour of South Africa wraps up.
Signings are technically frozen right now, with Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association still locked in negotiations over revised list rules, but according to Code Sports, the signs are encouraging.
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Sydney Sixers are the likeliest to land Stokes
Sydney Sixers are understood to have moved ahead of the pack. Part of that edge comes down to their recent appointment of Matthew Mott, the former England white-ball coach, as their new BBL head coach.
Mott and Stokes go back a long way, having combined to win the T20 World Cup together in late 2022, a connection that could work heavily in Sydney's favour.
Cricket Tasmania chief executive Dom Baker revealed earlier this month that Hobart Hurricanes were also keen on bringing Stokes on board. Baker credited his club's track record of sticking with reliable overseas recruits as central to their success, and said they'd be quick to pursue Stokes if the chance arose, particularly given his drawing power at the turnstiles.
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“I think probably the key to our success has been our consistency, particularly with our overseas players and we’ll look to be consistent again,” Baker said.
“But if the opportunity comes up to grab someone like Ben Stokes, particularly from a way to fill stadiums, we’ll be at the front of the queue having a crack.
“Whether he will play or not I think is still up in the air, with announcements of Bazball finally coming to an end, I think there’s probably a lot of soul searching going on over there at the minute so let’s see what happens.
"He’d be very welcome here, what a better place to be if you want to download after a couple of years as the English cricket captain.”
Stokes isn't the only marquee overseas talent generating buzz ahead of the coming season. New Zealand trio Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson are all said to be in demand, alongside England quick Jamie Overton.
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A coup that would lift the whole league
If Stokes really does turn out for the BBL this summer, it would be one of the biggest overseas signings the tournament has seen in years. His name alone sells tickets, and having just stepped away from the pressure of Test captaincy, a stint in Australia could genuinely offer him the kind of low-stakes cricket he hasn't enjoyed in a long time.
The Sixers' connection through Mott gives them a real head start, but the scrapping of the overseas draft means this race could stay wide open until Stokes actually puts pen to paper.
What's more interesting is the timing tension with England's Ashes preparations. If Fleming does try to lure Stokes back for the international game, as Andrew McDonald suspects, it raises an awkward question about how much England actually wants their biggest match-winner spending the off-season in Australia rather than resting up.
For now, though, Stokes appears to be prioritising his own recovery and enjoyment of the game, and few would begrudge him that after years of carrying England's Test side on his shoulders. Whichever club eventually secures him, Australian cricket fans stand to be the biggest winners either way.
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