Adelaide Strikers recruit Ben Stokes lauded as ‘fantastic role model’ by new coach Tim Paine

Ben Stokes’ off-field behaviour won’t be a talking point with Adelaide Strikers coach Tim Paine when the Englishman arrives in Australia for a Big Bash League stint.

Stokes will be available for the Strikers for their entire BBL campaign this summer on a deal believed to worth $500,000.

The former England captain has frequently attracted unwanted attention for his off-field behaviour, but Paine doesn’t plan to raise the issue with the star allrounder.

“I don’t think I will be,” Paine told reporters on Wednesday.

“Ben’s career has spanned over more than 15 years at the international level under intense scrutiny.

“And whilst I’m sure, like myself and many other people, we haven’t got everything absolutely right 100 per cent of the time.

“But I think on the whole over those 15 years he has been a terrific ambassador for cricket.”

Paine, who quit as Australia’s Test captain in 2021 in the wake of a sexting scandal with a former female colleague at Cricket Tasmania, expected the public to warm to Stokes.

“The character that he is, with the way he is off the field, it’s something that I think people really relate to,” he said.

“He’s a really authentic type of person — what you see is what you get.

“And I think the Australian fans will really warm to his character and his personality.

“And we expect he will be a fantastic role model for our club and for our fans.”