Stuart Broad Assesses India-England Test Series: Opportunity Amidst Absence

Former England pacer Stuart Broad shared his insights on the ongoing India-England Test series, describing it as one of the most evenly-matched contests he’s witnessed between the two sides. Despite the series being level at 1-1, Broad believes England has a strong chance of clinching victory due to the absence of Virat Kohli’s fire and competitiveness.

Speaking to PTI during the SA20, Broad emphasized the engrossing nature of the matches so far and highlighted the significant opportunity for England in Kohli’s absence.

The absence of Kohli is a downer for the series, but it opens up a great opportunity for England. With Virat not in the team, it is a great chance for the England team,” Broad stated.

While acknowledging Kohli’s impact on the quality of the contest, Broad also pointed out the opportunity for young Indian players to shine in his absence.

The battle between Virat and England bowlers had been great in the past. It’s a shame for the series and the sport that he will be missing,” Broad lamented.

However, Broad expressed satisfaction with the performance of James Anderson and the seamers on unresponsive Indian tracks in the second Test at Visakhapatnam.

We saw in the second Test, seamers played an important role with Jasprit Bumrah giving a match-winning performance and Jimmy bowling like that on those pitches,” Broad remarked.

Reflecting on their partnership, Broad dismissed the notion that he and Anderson were the last of the great Test fast bowling pairs but acknowledged the challenge of their record being surpassed due to the longevity of their careers.

I don’t think we are the last of the great bowling partnership in Test cricket. I am sure there will be another partnership coming soon,” he said.

Finally, Broad stressed the importance of Test cricket, advocating for a dedicated window in the cricketing calendar for all nations to participate simultaneously.

I think the charm of Test Cricket is unmatched… I can certainly see a period where we have a window for Test Cricket where all the nations are playing at the same time,” Broad concluded.