Stuart Broad has announced his retirement from cricket following the end of the fifth Ashes Test.
Stuart Broad, the veteran England fast bowler, has revealed that the fifth Ashes Test will be his “last game of cricket,” capping off a remarkable career in which he became only the second fast bowler and fourth bowler overall to capture over 600 wickets in the format. Broad will retire as England’s second-highest Test wicket-taker of all time, trailing only his longtime teammate and pace partner James Anderson.
“Tomorrow or Monday will be my final match of cricket,” Broad stated on Sky Sports Cricket following the third day of action at the Oval on Saturday. “It’s been a fantastic ride.” It’s been an honor to wear the Nottinghamshire and England batches as often as I have. I’m enjoying cricket as much as I ever have; it’s been a fantastic series to be a part of, and I’ve always wanted to come out on top. “It feels like one of the most enjoyable entertainment experiences I’ve had,” he remarked.
While Broad has declared his retirement from cricket, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has issued a statement claiming that he has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket. “Stuart Broad has announced his retirement from Test cricket, calling an end to an illustrious 17-year international career,” the statement said.
Broad said he decided to retire “around 8.30 pm last night,” but had been thinking about it for two weeks. On Friday night, he informed captain Ben Stokes, and the rest of his teammates on Saturday morning. “I had been considering it for a few weeks. For me, England vs. Australia was the apex. I’ve enjoyed our clashes with Australia. I have a thing about Ashes, and I wanted it to be my final bat and bowl. I told Stokesy last night, and I told the locker room this morning. “It seemed like the right time,” he explained.
On August 28, 2006, Broad made his international debut against Pakistan in a T20I match. In a match that England lost by five wickets, he got two wickets. While Yuvraj Singh memorably smacked him for six sixes in an over in a 2007 T20 World Cup match against India, Broad’s status continued to improve and he began his spectacular Test career on December 9, 2007 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. England bowled only once in the match, which finished in a tie, and Broad grabbed one wicket, Chaminda Vaas.
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Broad took 65 wickets in 56 T20Is between 2006 and 2014, and 178 wickets in 121 ODIs between 2006 and 2016. He was a member of England’s T20 World Cup-winning side in 2010.
Broad’s most revealing statistics, though, come from Test cricket. He has 602 wickets to his name, a total he might increase to at the Oval as England attempts to prevent Australia from defeating them at home for the first time since 2001. In his international career, he has taken 845 wickets. Broad, along with Anderson, is one of just two fast bowlers in history to have taken 600 Test wickets for their country, and he grabbed his 150th Ashes wicket in this week’s last game at The Oval.
Broad’s career has been linked to the Ashes. His aggressive personality has frequently earned him the title of “Public Enemy No. 1” in the Australian media. He is England’s leading wicket-taker versus Australia, being the first player from his country to capture more than 150 wickets in a match. His total presently stands at 151, and he might yet break Australia’s all-time record of 157. For the time being, he is the third-highest wicket-taker in Ashes history, trailing only McGrath and late Australia spin legend Shane Warne, who both took 195 wickets.
His career-defining performance came in the 2015 Ashes at Trent Bridge, where he recorded spectacular figures of 8/15 in only 9.3 overs to rout Australia for 60. Broad’s eight five-wicket hauls in the Ashes are the highest for any England player since before World War I.
