Ben Stokes eyes record BBL deal as Sydney Sixers emerge as frontrunners: Report
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ben Stokes eyes record BBL deal as Sydney Sixers emerge as frontrunners: Report")
Ben Stokes eyes record BBL deal as Sydney Sixers emerge as frontrunners: Report Photograph: (Others)
Ben Stokes is closing in on a record $600k BBL deal as the Sydney Sixers lead the race to sign the retired England star. Read full contract & IPL details.
In what appears to be a jackpot for retired England captain Ben Stokes, the 35-year-old is on the cusp of becoming the most expensive player in BBL history, with Sydney Sixers leading the race to sign him for the upcoming season. A seasoned international campaigner—though less active in franchise cricket - Stokes could return to the Big Bash League after 12 years on a bumper deal. Having announced his international retirement in June this year, Stokes continues to play for Durham in the One-Day Cup and the County Championship.
A Code Sports report claims that Stokes has garnered massive interest from several BBL teams. His shock retirement from England duties leaves him with ample time to explore opportunities elsewhere, with the Big Bash League interested in his services.
Why the Sixers lead the chase?
Sydney Sixers are reported to be leading the race to have him on board for BBL 16, mainly after appointing Matthew Mott as their new head coach, who coached Stokes earlier with the national team. The two were at the helm of England's famous 2022 T20 World Cup win Down Under, where they beat Pakistan in the final by five wickets.
Stokes, who represented Melbourne Renegades during the 2014 edition, is on the wish list of Hobart Hurricanes, with Cricket Tasmania previously expressing a desire to bring the England all-rounder to their side.
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CA’s new model and Stokes’ potential signing
Following the introduction of a direct-signing marquee pool, Cricket Australia (CA), alongside the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), would provide a central fund (outside the standard salary cap) to subsidise massive contracts, including Stokes’ for a deal worth $600,000 AUD.
It is done so that Australia’s premier T20 tournament can compete financially against tournaments like the SA20 and ILT20, which are likely to overlap with BBL’s schedule.
Even though Stokes’ potential IPL 2027 return is impossible as he will not be eligible to enter the IPL auction again until the next official Mega Auction cycle (expected around 2028), a BBL return is Stokes’ realistic chance of stepping into the franchise-based world.
SA20, ILT20 and The Hundred are other premier tournaments where Stokes could feature and get the hang of this fast-paced T20 world, which he once held responsible for his ODI retirement.
