Stokes-McCullum stopped Broad from retiring last year: Anderson

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London. Veteran England fast bowler James Anderson has revealed that Stuart Broad thought of retiring from all forms of cricket last season but was stopped by Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

With 604 wickets in Tests, Stuart Broad is fifth on the all-time list of wicket-takers in this format and is one of only two fast bowlers to have taken more than 600 wickets. The other fast bowler is Anderson. Broad has taken 178 wickets in 121 ODIs and 65 wickets in 56 T20Is since his international debut in August 2006.

Anderson said, “Stuart told me about his retirement over coffee before we got on the team bus for the third day’s play. Initially I was a bit shocked.” But after listening to him, I supported him. He told me he was thinking about it last season as well, but Stokes and McCullum stopped him.”

Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph, “We talked about the pitch going in to bat on the fifth day at the Oval. It’s definitely a picture I’d like to have in my home.”

Broad, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007, would go on to be recognized as one of the greatest fast bowlers of the game after his 49-run victory over Australia in the final Ashes Test at The Oval.

In the match, he hit the last ball for a six and took a wicket on the last ball of his cricketing career, taking his tally of wickets in the Ashes 2023 to 22. He also said that it was great that the two did not walk out together as Broad deserved his departure.

(IANS)

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