Strikers land new England Test skipper for BBL|14

England stand-in Test captain Ollie Pope has signed with Adelaide Strikers for this summer's KFC BBL|14 campaign.

Pope, who became England's 82nd men's skipper overnight in place of the injured Ben Stokes, will be available for the Strikers following the end of their three-Test series in New Zealand on December 18, meaning he will miss at least their opening match of the season against Sydney Thunder (December 17).

The 26-year-old right-hander has been a regular fixture of England's top-order since late 2019 and was appointed vice-captain in May last year.

Adelaide Strikers BBL|14 squad (so far): James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Chris Lynn, Lloyd Pope, Ollie Pope (direct overseas signing), Alex Ross, D'Arcy Short, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald

While his Test career has blossomed in the 'Bazball' era under Stokes and head coach Brendan McCullum where he averages 41.45 in 24 Tests, Pope has been unable to force his way into England's limited-overs sides.

He has a strong T20 record for Surrey in the T20 Blast, averaging 33.25 across 50 matches, including a career-best 99no against Sussex in June, but he has been unable to get going in The Hundred, finishing this year's tournament with a top score of 12 in his five matches for London Spirit.

Pope, who has a career T20 strike rate above 130, strengthens a powerful Strikers top-order already boasting the likes of Chris Lynn, Matt Short, D'Arcy Short and Jake Weatherald, with Alex Carey and Travis Head also expected to be available in January following the end of the Border-Gavaskar Test series against India.

"Signing with the Adelaide Strikers is an incredible opportunity for me," Pope said in a statement.

"I've been watching the Big Bash since I was a kid, and it's always been a competition I've been eager to be a part of.

"Adelaide is such a fantastic city with a vibrant cricket culture, and the Adelaide Oval is one of the most iconic grounds in the world.

"The chance to rub shoulders with some incredible players and contribute to the team's success is something I'm truly excited about."

Pope's signing frees up the Strikers to retain his Surrey teammate Jamie Overton in the BBL|14 overseas player draft on September 1 with Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan expected to skip the Big Bash this summer.

Afghanistan have an all-format tour of Zimbabwe earmarked for December-January in the ICC Future Tours Programme, while Rashid has also been retained by MI Cape Town in the South African SA20 competition beginning in early January.

The Strikers are the seventh men's club to reveal their pre-draft overseas signing, with Sydney Sixers the only club yet to do so.

New Strikers head coach Tim Paine said Pope's experience and leadership would "elevate" his side, with the England stand-in skipper to provide valuable support to emerging captain Matt Short.

"Ollie Pope is an exceptional talent with a proven track record at the highest level," Paine said. "His dynamic batting style and wicketkeeping abilities are a fantastic addition to our squad."