Stuart Broad interview: Addictive Bazball means no selection issues as England prepare for Ashes
tuart Broad believes England’s “addictive” Bazball environment means there will be no selection rants or rankles if he misses out on the opening Ashes Test.
The 36-year-old admitted he has no idea whether he will feature in England’s first Ashes Test line-up against Australia at Edgbaston on June 16.
But even if he does not make the XI for Birmingham, Broad insisted there will be no blow-ups to rival his reactions to historic omissions.
Instead Broad will trust in the “collective” approach fostered by head coach Brendan McCullum and captain Ben Stokes that has the veteran seamer wishing he was 23 again.
“I’m just flowing around at the moment; I feel really happy with how my cricket is, how life is, I feel fit, I feel fresh,” said a buoyant Broad.
“Whether I play at Edgbaston, whether I play at Lord’s, or Headingley, I don’t mind; I play really well at all of those grounds.
“I love playing against Australia, whether that’s the first Test, the fifth Test, the third, so I’m happy to try and strike whenever I get the chance.
“I think ultimately as a team we’re going to need every bowler, and we’re going to need to take 100 wickets to win the Ashes. We’re obviously going to need to take 20 wickets at Edgbaston but we’re going to need guys fit and fresh to take 20 wickets at Manchester.
“So, I don’t know how selection will go, whether they look at the records of certain bowlers at certain grounds and try and play those bowlers where they’ve bowled better, I’m not sure.
“But my ultimate aim is to be fit and fresh and playing at The Oval, because that’s the fifth and final Test and that means I’ve done my job for the group.”
Broad was dropped for England’s first Test against the West Indies in 2020, then omitted from the first Ashes Test in Brisbane a year later, and on both occasions the candid pace ace criticised those decisions.
But Broad believes he has been able to change amid England’s attacking revolution – as McCullum and Stokes have removed any fear of failure, so too has the influential bowler been able to see selection through a new prism.
“I’ve changed quite a lot I think; in Brisbane I was raging,” said Broad.
“So yeah, I’ve definitely changed. And in a good way. I see my role as striking when I get the chance but also, we won’t be having interviews like the Ageas Bowl (in his reaction to being dropped in 2020).
“Maybe that’ll be the tactic – leave me out at Edgbaston so I fire up at Lord’s!
“But I’m very comfortable whether I play the first, second, third, fourth or fifth so long as I strike at some stage.
“I’m just really enjoying the environment. Communication’s really clear, that we’re going to need everyone.
“It doesn’t feel like if you’re not in that first XI at Edgbaston that you won’t be in the first XI at Lord’s, it doesn’t feel like a closed shop in that way. It very much is, we need everyone.
“And ultimately I’m just really enjoying being around the group. I got that vibe when I got to New Zealand.
“I hadn’t been in Pakistan and everyone who’d been on that tour was like, that was such a good tour, they loved it. And not everyone played.
“But it’s a really addictive environment to be around, and I suppose the culture that Baz and Stokes have created, it is one in, all in; we’re just happy for everyone’s success.
“So ultimately if I only play one game and we lift the urn at the Oval, that’s a massive tick in England cricket’s box. It’s not about me, it’s about the collective. But I think I’ll play more than one.
“I’ve been amazed that Baz and Stokesy have completely removed the fear of failure, and that’s like the Holy Grail in sports teams.
“I’ve loved it. Honestly, I wish I was 23. And that’s not taking away from what I learned at that age, because I learned the game under Andy Flower, who taught me toughness, competitiveness, grit and steeliness for Test match cricket, which have been some of my biggest traits.
“But to be Ollie Pope and Harry Brook at that age, getting influenced by Brendon McCullum as a coach and learning that failure doesn’t matter as long as you’re playing the game the right way. That’s going to do their careers the world of good.”
Stuart Broad was speaking at the launch of wine merchant Laithwaites’ partnership with England Cricket. For exclusive offers on great wines this summer, visit laithwaites.co.uk
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