BBL 16: Tim Paine teases opening role for Ben Stokes at Adelaide Strikers

Talismanic former England captain Ben Stokes could take up a new role in his latest journey in franchise cricket. After signing a one-year contract with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL), Stokes could open during the upcoming season, team head coach Tim Paine hinted. Having played most of his cricket as a middle-order batter across formats, Stokes has a chance to unlock his ‘360-degree game’ at the top, as Paine highlighted.

Paine’s presence as head coach played a key role in bringing Stokes to Adelaide. With the two being at opposite ends as captains during the 2019 Ashes -- which made Stokes a national hero for his Leeds outing -- Paine knew exactly how destructive he would be on bouncy tracks Down Under, which suits his game.

"He [Stokes] gives us a lot of flexibility," Paine said. "I think initially my chats around how we would use him would probably be opening the batting. I think he's made to open the batting in Big Bash. I think the pacey, bouncy wickets in Australia really suit him.

"I've been on the end of a couple of these devastating innings in Test cricket where you feel like you can't defend the field. He can play 360 [degrees]. He's got power. He's got some real class."

Only 16 of Stokes’ 148 T20 innings have come as an opener, as he mostly batted at 3, 4 or 5. However, one of his two T20 hundreds came while opening, when he scored a brilliant 107 off just 60 balls for Rajasthan Royals during the 2020 IPL edition.

Stokes last played a T20 game during the 2024 edition of The Hundred.

"I think he can do a terrific job opening the batting," Paine said. "Playing pretty normally, as we've seen in the past, he can flick a switch, and he's got amazing power. His skill level with the bat and his play of spin, he's just a well-rounded, world-class batter. We think that's probably the best fit for him and for us.

"Then with the ball, we think he can surprise people. I've played against him. He's a bit quicker than people think. He's got great skill. He can swing the ball both ways. We feel like we can use him in all phases of the game with the ball as well. He'll impact in the field with his athleticism and just the way he competes,” Paine said.

All Spotlights on Stokes

Stokes knows how to garner attention because of his cricketing aura and personality, and Paine pinpointed that with wild coverage around his BBL signing since Tuesday. Speaking on how it all magnifies when Stokes takes the field at the Adelaide Oval, Paine said, "He's someone that's always drawn a lot of attention because of his personality and the way he plays the game.

"I think we've seen in the last 24 hours just how much light he's shone on the Big Bash just with his announcement. I'm sure that will only magnify when he lands in Adelaide and when he starts playing well and scoring runs and taking wickets.

"There's some intangible stuff with Stokesy as well, I think, around his leadership, his presence and commercially and fan engagement. So there's not that many players I wouldn't have thought out in the world that tick all of those boxes and are still at a really high level as a cricketer. So, yeah, we made that decision pretty quickly and pursued him quite aggressively,” the former Australian captain added.