England's current stand-in Test captain, Ollie Pope, has signed with the Adelaide Strikers, while West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein has joined the Sydney Sixers, finalising the pre-draft roster for the Big Bash League (BBL).
Pope, who is temporarily leading England in their Test series against Sri Lanka due to Ben Stokes' hamstring injury, will join the Strikers after the Test tour of New Zealand, which concludes on December 18. As a result, he will miss at least the Strikers' first match. With a T20 record of 1,295 runs at an average of 28.77 and a strike rate of 132.82, Pope will be eager to improve upon his recent performance in The Hundred, where he managed just 35 runs across five innings for London Spirit.
At the Strikers, Pope will have the opportunity to play alongside his Ashes rivals Travis Head and Alex Carey. Carey has recently signed a new four-year contract and, along with Head, will be available for a short stint in the BBL after the Test series in India.
Tim Paine, the Strikers' new head coach, praised Pope as an exceptional talent with a proven track record at the highest level, highlighting his dynamic batting style and wicket-keeping skills as valuable assets to the squad.