Last year, Stokes turned down the offer of a multi-year central contract, instead preferring to sign on for only 12 months, from October 2023. At the time Rob Key, England’s managing director, explained that Stokes believed that “he’ll be in a stronger position” to negotiate a more lucrative deal this year.
There are no concerns about Stokes’s international future, with his decision not to appear in this year’s Indian Premier League and emphasis on developing the Test team ahead of the 2025/26 Ashes highlighting his commitment to England. But, with more opportunities opening up in the T20 franchise landscape, England will be under pressure to pay leading players such as Stokes more.
Stokes has fine memories of Cape Town. At the Newlands ground in 2016, he hit an extraordinary 258 for England in a Test against South Africa. Four years later, he bowled England to a tense victory at the ground with a spell on the final evening.
At this stage Stokes is expected to feature in the duration of the SA20. By signing up for the tournament, Stokes would miss England’s five-match T20 series in India. But Stokes is not currently involved in England’s T20 side, after ruling himself out of selection for last month’s T20 World Cup to focus on building up his fitness ahead of the Test summer.
Stokes could still feature in the Champions Trophy, which begins on Feb 19 and is scheduled for Pakistan. Ahead of the Champions Trophy, England have three one-day internationals in India, beginning on Feb 6. If available and selected for the Champions Trophy squad, Stokes could appear in the ODIs in India, which complete England’s preparations for the tournament.
The SA20 comes during a hiatus in England’s Test schedule. This winter, England play three-match series in Pakistan and New Zealand before Christmas, but then have no more Test series schedule until the 2025 home summer.