Stuart Broad: Game Over?

[Fenil]

Stuart Broad haven't been anywhere near his best of late. Is he good enough, on current form, to lead the English attack, especially on the turning tracks of subcontinent? I came across an article on similar topic. What are your thoughts about his chances in the national team? As far I am concerned, he is still okay in shorter formats, may be he can be dropped for a few Test matches, try out young bowlers and see how they perform. It won't be a bad idea to to recall Chris Tremlett as well I feel.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

for a loooong time I thought he shouldn't have been anywhere near the england team and owed his continued selection to a variety of factors from having a cricketing history, being a good looking, quite dashing chap (this does definitely play a part in how we relate to people) and scoring a few gritty 50s when england were in a lot of trouble. none of these reasons were bowling orientated.

furthermore, I'm sceptical as to whether "blooding" players young is worth it. compare the extensively blooded Bell to the Trott, who came into the side at 28 and instantly established himself before bell. Hussey, Swann, Clark, Ajmal are other playes that just came into the side late and just applied their experience with great success. I think if a player is good enough young (whether because they are actually talented or there's just no one else better available) then fine, but Broad got a long stretch of not being one of the best 3 quicks in england but getting constantly picked. I think that point goes along with the thrust of that article, security is one thing, but picking someone so consistenly in spite of under-performance will breed complacency, Bell hasn't really benefitted from the blind faith put in him (in fact, being that he's on 80 test caps I'd say he's on course to be one of the worst and least deserving 100 capped test players ever)

however I think Broad of late has started to justify some of the hype (the UAE particularly) and it's maybe a bit ironic him getting called to be dropped as I think the implied successor is Finn, another guy not really among the best bowlers in england but someone people think is worth sacrificing a space in the attack for which to blood him.

 

[Ahmad94]

He is kind of like Umar Akmal of Pakistan, he has a lot of potential but has been unable to perform big. Give him a break from cricket, and then bring him back through domestic circuit then in to the international side.

 

[sifter132]

furthermore, I'm sceptical as to whether "blooding" players young is worth it. compare the extensively blooded Bell to the Trott, who came into the side at 28 and instantly established himself before bell. Hussey, Swann, Clark, Ajmal are other playes that just came into the side late and just applied their experience with great success.

It's a good topic. I like the idea of exposing young players to the best of the best as early as possible, just so you can see find out what the technical/mental problems in their game might be. Problems that may not appear at first class level. Whether teams can afford to devote one spot in their side to a young player just to experiment with is another question...

 

[Cricketman]

The images of his hattrick and performances with versus us last year are still fresh in my mind. I don't think the England management is close to even thinking about leaving him out of the side, especially since he has been named captain of the T20 side as well as vc of the test team.

 

[sifter132]

I don't think I'd drop him outright, but I might 'rotate' him out of the team for a Test or 2. After all it was only a few months ago that I thought he was doing really well in the English summer. But rotating him out might give Broad a reality check - that he needs to keep playing well to keep his spot. England has plenty of options and wouldn't lose much. But I think ideally Broad bowling well would be in England's XI.

 

[puddleduck]

Let's not all ignore the fact that Broad was averaging just over 20 with the ball for the last year or so before this India tour. It's clear he needs a rest though.

 

[MUFC1987]

He doesn't look fit, that's for sure. He'll be back to his best when he gets back to fitness and Finn comes into the side though, because I think Broad works better as a first change, as opposed to being expected to nip out openers early, which isn't really his game. Which also means with only 2 seamers being picked, he probably shouldn't be playing and definitely shouldn't be while he's not fully fit.

 

[puddleduck]

Yeah when he's got his rhythm and he's firing he gets a lovely kiss off the surface and some decent bounce off a length. Obviously going to be tough when the pitches don't bounce, but I find whenever conditions don't suit him, he bowls his first spell fairly ok. Get's an inside edge or two, maybe an edge that doesn't carry... and then just seems to let his head drop and bowl dross for the rest of the day.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

I don't think dropping him now is going to help, unless it's to regain fitness, we all know it would be a token threat, everyone and his uncle would realise it was a temporary measure and I wouldn't imagine such an empty gesture is going to have that much effect on his mentality.

 

[sami ullah khan]

Broad is not bowling as quick as he used to in very near past. I have seen him clock over 140 KPS quite consistently but disappointingly, in this series he has hardly ever got near that speed. It may be due to lack of fitness on his part. I thought he would have enjoyed the readily available reverse swing in India but lack of speed in the air has not helped his cause. Yadav was the only bowler who bowled threatening reverse swing in the first test. His pace was there for all to see when he bowled that lethal inswing.

 

[swacker]

I think he is a very good cricketer although I wouldn't pick him for the next one as his bowling has lost a bit of its spark.

I did think Broad got away with it big time over Pietersen saga though.

 

[Fenil]

In my opinion, he should be given chances till the end of the India series and if he still looks a far cry from his best, he can be dropped from the test matches while continuing him in the other two formats. While sitting outside the test team, he can prove his worth in domestic cricket and given that he still has a ODI and T20I berth in the side, his confidence won't be that low which will eventually help him to perform better. As far replacing Broad in the test side is concerned, Chris Tremlett is one man that comes first to my mind. Very tall, gets bounce off even fuller length and has decent pace too. His test record is very good as well.

 

[chiefsquaredean]

Got to be dropped for the next test with how bad he is playing.

I'm sure he will come back stronger for it but England can't continue to carry him at the moment.

Vital Cricket - Broad?s Form a Worry

 

[Ahmad94]

Broad is not bowling as quick as he used to in very near past. I have seen him clock over 140 KPS quite consistently but disappointingly, in this series he has hardly ever got near that speed. It may be due to lack of fitness on his part. I thought he would have enjoyed the readily available reverse swing in India but lack of speed in the air has not helped his cause. Yadav was the only bowler who bowled threatening reverse swing in the first test. His pace was there for all to see when he bowled that lethal inswing.

Yes, I totally agree. I went to see him play county, a year or so back, and he was hitting 150kmph on a regular basis. But now I think he is slowing down to increase his accuracy.