Broad thought of retirement after Southampton snub
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|| Desk Report ||
England’s paceman Stuart Broad said he considered retiring after being omitted for the last month’s Test series opener against the visiting West Indies at Southampton.
England decided to go with James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for the first match, which West Indies won by four wickets, snapping the 34-year-old Broad’s run of 51 consecutive home Tests.
The right-arm quick returned to claim 16 wickets in the next two Tests as England won back-to-back matches to triumph the series 2-1, with Broad being named as the player of the series.
“Were there thoughts of retirement going round my head? One hundred percent because I was so down,” Stuart Broad said.
“I can’t think of many times I have been down like that. When I have been dropped before, I can go 'Fair enough, good decision, can’t really argue with that,” Broad told the Mail on Sunday.
“This time, when Stokesy told me I wasn’t playing, I felt my body go into shakes. I could barely speak,” he said, referring to acting captain Ben Stokes.
With 501 wickets Broad is second only to new-ball colleague James Anderson (589) in the list of most Test wickets by an English bowler.
“Could I get 600? Absolutely I think I could. Jimmy was 35 and one month when he got 500. I was 34 and one month,” he said.
“Jimmy is now within touching distance of 600. So stats wise, absolutely,” he signed off.
