Former England all-rounder Ben Stokes has returned to the headlines after a report suggested that he could make a surprise return to Test cricket for the Ashes 2027 series against Australia.
Ben Stokes has reportedly decided to focus on playing for his childhood club, Durham, in the County Championship next season, raising speculation about his possible Test comeback. Amid this, James Anderson retirement: Lancashire force England great towards career end.
Ben Stokes shocked the cricket world when he retired from international cricket during England's Test series against New Zealand in June 2026. Since then, he has been exploring opportunities in franchise cricket. He has signed a £264,000 deal with Adelaide Strikers for the Big Bash League (BBL) and is also interested in playing Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA next summer.
However, the star all-rounder’s biggest priority is to help Durham win the County Championship. Stokes played an important role in helping the club earn promotion last summer. Now, sources close to the former England captain have told The i Paper that he is ready to play 10 matches for Durham in the County Championship next season.
This decision could keep him away from the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which clashes with the start of the county season in April 2027. It is also being said that Stokes has no plans to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or The Hundred next year, as he wants to concentrate on Durham.
Could Ben Stokes return for Ashes 2027?
Stokes' decision to play 10 matches in the County Championship for Durham has sparked speculation about a possible England comeback. The Ashes 2027 series against Australia is scheduled to begin in Nottingham on June 18, 2027.
The iPaper suggested that Stokes might consider playing one last time against Australia if England approached him under the right circumstances. England’s current captain Joe Root, who is also Stokes’ close friend, could reportedly play an important role in this decision.
However, the former England captain has strongly denied the Ashes 2027 comeback reports and called the article misleading. Earlier, Nat Sciver-Brunt and England stars allowed to miss Sri Lanka T20Is for WPL 2027.
The 35-year-old took to social media platform X to dismiss the claims, making it clear that there was no truth in the story about his return for the high-profile Test series against Australia.
Sharing the report on his X (formerly Twitter), Stokes stated, "Please don’t waste your £1 to read this…it’s a completely misleading headline and no truth to the Ashes story whatsoever!"
Please don’t waste your £1 to read this…it’s a completely misleading headline and no truth to the Ashes story what so ever!
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) October 21, 2026Ben Stokes’ MLC dream in trouble? ECB could block his way
Stokes also wants to play in Major League Cricket in the USA next summer, but he will need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Durham is reportedly willing to support Stokes' participation in Major League Cricket, but the ECB could refuse permission because the tournament may clash with the T20 Blast in June and July.
The ECB wants to protect its domestic competitions from losing big players to rival franchise leagues. Players with England contracts or certain county contracts are generally restricted from joining competing tournaments during the English domestic summer.
But Durham are reportedly exploring options to help Stokes secure NOC, including registering him as a white-ball player and offering short-term pay-as-you-play contracts. Even if he signs a multi-year MLC deal, an arrangement could potentially allow him to miss part or all of the tournament if England approaches him.
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