Stuart Broad In The "Sexy Stage" Of His Career, Compares His Role In England Test Team With Football Legend Ryan Giggs At Manchester United

Senior England pacer Stuart Broad, who will be turning 35 in June, says he is in the “sexy stage” of his Test career, where he will learn from every wrong ball he delivers. The seamer also compared his role in the Test side with that of Ryan Giggs, former Welsh football legend, at the Manchester United club during his outgoing years.

Stuart Broad has often gone under the radar in the presence of Jame Anderson, and now with the emergence of Jofra Archer, despite being the country’s second-highest Test wicket-taker, second to only Anderson.

He says he wants to be around for longer, and help the youngsters with his experience. Both he and Anderson have been rested in recent times for the packed schedule and the toll on mental and physical health taken by the bio-bubble constraints. England has a 7-Test summer coming up – two versus New Zealand, five against India – and Broad wishes to play in all the games.

“In Ryan Giggs’ last few years at Manchester United he wouldn’t play every game but he’d have a big impact at certain times. I’m sure it was made very clear what his role was in the side. If that means that Jimmy Anderson and I get rested at certain times then that’s much easier to take,” Stuart Broad told ESPNcricinfo.

“I still want to be around to help and guide bowlers through the Test match. We’re all part of a unit wanting to get the team better and better. But if I had a choice I’d want to play all seven.

“It’s nice to be able to share my experience. Peter Moores calls it the sexy stage of your career: you know what you’re doing, you don’t have too many bad days because if you bowl a bad ball you know why you’ve bowled a bad ball. You’re also sharing all your information on how to be competitive, how to grab momentum, how to take a stride forward in a game,” he added.

There’s a difference between being rested and dropped: Stuart Broad

What Stuart Broad underlines is the difference between being dropped and rested. The pacer had earlier expressed his frustrations of not being selected in the first home Test against West Indies last year when the cricket resumed amid the pandemic – he won the series for England helping them make a comeback.

He takes inspiration from Anderson, who is only getting better at the age of 38. Stuart Broad says he would be happy for getting rested than dropped.

“I look at Jimmy aged 38. Three years ago I’d have thought no chance I’d get anywhere near that. Now I can sit here and think why not play and enjoy it? The ECB has looked after Jimmy really well in the last few years.

“Whenever he’s had a niggle or an injury they’ve rehabbed him back and given him the chance to play more cricket. Why wouldn’t I want the same opportunity? Keep enjoying it, keep learning and keep winning games for Notts and England.

“But there’s a difference between being rested and dropped. I feel as though I’ve had a career of being dropped and others have had a career of being rested. If I can finish my career with the games I miss being through being rested rather than dropped then I’ll be a bit happier,” he said.

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