Ben Stokes joins BBL (Image Source: CREX Graphic Team)
It is very rare to see an international marquee player join a popular T20 league after retiring from international cricket. Usually, when a renowned player joins franchise leagues after quitting international cricket, it's mainly regional T20 leagues, if not lesser-known foreign T20 leagues.
However, a household name from England and then signing for arch-rival Australia’s most popular T20 league, the Big Bash League (BBL) after international retirement, it is a no-brainer that anyone can become the topic of conversation in the cricketing world within seconds if he pulls something like that.
And it has happened multiple times. In this article, we solely look at the subject regarding English legends who joined the BBL after international retirement.
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes has joined Adelaide Strikers for the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). Earlier, it was reported that Stokes would be joining the BBL at a record-breaking price, and now it has all been confirmed.
In June this year, Stokes had an infamous nightclub incident in the middle of the New Zealand tour of England. Soon after, he made a dramatic move, retiring from all formats for England.
Also Read: English Cricketers Who Have Been Caught Breaking Laws In The Last 10 Years
For starters, it was not Ben Stokes first-ever BBL stint. He was there in Australia during BBL 2014/15 for four matches, playing for Melbourne Renegades. Back then, he came as a replacement for Jesse Ryder, who suffered a back injury in the middle of the competition.
Kevin Pietersen
In July 2014, Kevin Pietersen signed a two-year contract with the BBL team Melbourne Stars. The decision he took came months after the ECB formally told him not to give any further consideration.
Between 2014/15 and 2017/18, Pietersen was available for the BBL across all four seasons. In total, he played 33 matches for them, tallying 1110 runs at an average of 37.00 while striking at 137.20.
Andrew Flintoff
In the same season that Pietersen decided to join the BBL, Andrew Flintoff made up his mind to play for the Brisbane Heat. The 2014/15 season was his only BBL campaign, in which he played seven matches.
Flintoff had a very below-par record in BBL, picking up only three wickets at an economy rate of 11.33 while scoring only 74 runs at an average of 14.80.
In 2010, Flintoff had no choice but to retire from international cricket. He had a long-standing knee injury, which oftentimes made his life difficult in the middle of his illustrious career for England.
Therefore, even though he had decided to retire from Tests a year before, he hung up his boots for white-ball cricket as well after meeting with the then-surgeon.
Andrew Flintoff will soon be seen in the BBL dugout, as Sydney Thunder signed him for the head coach role for the upcoming season.
Also Read: Fans Mock Mohsin Naqvi As PCB Invites Fielding Coach Through Social Media
