Ben Stokes Surpasses Babar Azam To Become Most Expensive Player In BBL History, Signs ₹3.30 Crore Deal With Adelaide Strikers

Ben Stokes will play the Big Bash League for the first time in over a decade having signed a record breaking deal with the Adelaide Strikers. The former England captain was in negotiations with a number of franchises before deciding to join the Adelaide franchise for the upcoming season.

As per 7 News, Ben Stokes is available for the entire season. He will earn a massive A$500,000 (₹3.39 Crore). It is the most expensive contract in BBL history, surpassing the A$420,000 (₹2.8 crore) paid to Babar Azam.

Ben Stokes returns to BBL after 12 years

Ben Stokes last played in the Big Bash League back in the 2014/15 season. He has since won two World Cups, led England in Test cricket and retired from all international cricket. He is currently featuring for Durham in domestic cricket and is expected to feature for the full tournament. Stokes was in negotiations with the Melbourne Renegades and the Sydney Sixers, before settling on the Strikers.

Most expensive in BBL, still a fraction of IPL

While Stokes might be the biggest monetary acquisition of BBL history, it only highlights the gulf between the payouts in the IPL and other T20 leagues. His deal with the Strikers for the current season is a sizeable amount but doesn't even amount to 25% of the salary he drew from his last auction sale in the IPL.

Stokes last played in the IPL in 2023, when he was bought by the Chennai Super Kings for a whopping ₹16.25 crore. The England all-rounder however could only feature in a couple of games before injury ruled him out of the season. He then turned focus on his Test career with captaincy and has not played in the IPL since.