“Feel like I could’ve had a positive influence on a pitch like that” – Stuart Broad rues not playing first Ashes Test at Gabba

England veteran new-ball seamer Stuart Broad feels he could have boosted his team’s chances of winning the first Ashes Test at the Gabba. However, Broad has now set his sights on the upcoming pink-ball Test in Adelaide. There, he is likely to share the new ball with James Anderson, who also missed the Gabba game.

The tourists’ decision to leave out both Broad and Anderson drew backlash from several former players. However, England apparently wanted to keep their experienced bowling pair fresh for the day and night Test in Adelaide, where they could be a handful.

Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Broad said that he has dealt with axing before, but wasn’t too surprised not to play in Brisbane. Nevertheless, admitting that he would have relished bowling at the Gabba, the 35-year old wrote:

“I’ve been left out on numerous occasions, and sometimes it comes as a real surprise. This was less of a surprise, maybe because I wasn’t in the team for the previous series against India due to a calf injury. People were suggesting I’d been dropped but that is factually incorrect.”

“It would be wrong in this scenario to kick up a stink. On the flip side, I love Ashes cricket, love bowling at the Gabba, and feel like I could’ve had a positive influence on a pitch like that.”

While Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes performed decently in the first Test, they couldn’t dismiss Australia’s batters cheaply. In response to England’s paltry first-innings total of 147, the hosts made 425. Australia eventually won by nine wickets to wrap up the Test inside four days.

“We must pretend it’s 0-0 in a four-match series and go again” – Stuart Broad

Broad said that England have to move on as quickly as possible and focus afresh for Adelaide. The veteran spoke about the importance of not getting bogged down by pressure and how conditions can differ in day-night Tests. He wrote:

“There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves, dwell on not batting, bowling, or catching very well. We know that’s the case. More importantly, what specifically can we channel positively into Adelaide? What we mustn’t do is carry negatives with us for the next month.”

“We’ve done that on Ashes tours past and consistently lost. We must pretend it’s 0-0 in a four-match series and go again. Timing is very important in floodlit Test matches. Conditions change very quickly in certain periods, so you have to recognise them and adapt.”

With Broad and Anderson almost certain to play, England are likely drop Jack Leach and Woakes for the second Test.

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The tourists almost face a do-or-die clash in Adelaide.

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