Having landed a big coup in the form of Ben Stokes, Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Adelaide Strikers are keen to make full use of their prized asset, with the former England captain being considered as an option to open the innings.

Strikers head coach and former Australia Test captain Tim Paine believes that Stokes’s naturally aggressive approach to the game and the nature of wickets in Australia make him an obvious fit at the top of the order.

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“I think he (Stokes) is made to open the batting in the Big Bash,” Paine was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “The pacey, bouncy wickets in Australia really suit him. I’ve been on the end of a couple of his devastating innings in Test cricket where you feel like you can’t defend the field. He can play 360 degrees. He’s got power (and) some real class, so I think he can do a terrific job opening the batting.”

Paine was the Australian skipper when Stokes played arguably the one of the greatest Test innings at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes, singlehandedly taking his team to victory. He also played a match-winning knock in the 2022 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan in Melbourne, but has played very little short-form international cricket since then, and no T20 game in two years.

That didn’t prevent multiple BBL franchise to covet his signature and according to 7News, Strikers struck a one-season deal worth $500,000 (more than Rs 3.38 crore) to ward off the efforts of Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades, for whom he played four games more than a decade ago. Ever since Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket, franchises from around the world were lining up outside his door.

“It was in the works for a while. I think most clubs were sort of sniffing around once news of Ben’s Test retirement came out. The thought was that he may be available and looking to start a bit of a franchise career. He’s still an incredible player. He can impact games with the bat. He can impact in the field (and) he can impact with the ball. There’s not that many players that tick all of those boxes,” Paine felt.