Stuart Broad ‘frustrated, angry and gutted’ after being left out of England side

Stuart Broad has revealed he sought reassurances over his future after his dropping from England’s first Test of the summer left him “frustrated, angry and gutted”.
The 34-year-old seamer has earned 138 caps and sits second on the country’s all-time wickets list, but still found himself edged out of this week’s final XI as England opted for James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
While he has not always been first choice overseas for the past couple of winters he had played the previous 51 home Tests, dating back to 2012 when he was rested in a dead rubber.
View from the hospitality tent (my hotel balcony.) Lads battling hard in tremendous English bowling conditions. 🏏 pic.twitter.com/dbUWCFBWCr
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 9, 2020
Having finished as the team’s top wicket-taker in the 2019 Ashes and again in the previous series in South Africa, he did not take the news meekly when temporary captain Ben Stokes delivered the news.
“I found out about 6pm the night before the game. Stokesy told me just that they’re going with extra pace in these conditions,” he told Sky Sports.
“I wanted clarifications on the future going forward and I was given pretty positive feedback going forward.

“I spoke to (national selector) Ed Smith last night and he said he’s involved in picking the 13 and this was picked purely for this pitch. I’m not a particularly emotional person but I’ve found the last couple of days quite tough. To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement: you get disappointed if you drop your phone and break your screen.
“I’ve been frustrated, angry and gutted – because it’s quite a hard decision to understand. I’ve probably bowled the best I’ve ever bowled in the last couple of years. I felt like it was my shirt having been in the team through the Ashes and going to South Africa and winning there.”
Broad acknowledged the unusually strong field of candidates for a place but believes his annoyance at being overlooked augurs well for his own desire to come back strong.
💬 I’ve been angry, frustrated, gutted because it is quite a hard decision to understand – I have probably bowled the best I’ve ever bowled in the last couple of years 💬
Stuart Broad discusses his omission from the first #ENGvWI Test
📺 Watch #ENGvWI 👉 https://t.co/4rirJPnw24 pic.twitter.com/cNzlGgwc4P
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2020
“We’re in quite a unique position this summer: very rarely do you get all your bowlers fit like we’ve got at the minute and all your bowlers ready to go,” he said.
“I felt like I deserved a spot in the team, like everyone else. Chris Woakes, Sam Curran were bowling really well and probably deserve to be in the XI too. So it is hard to take but also I’m quite pleased I feel frustrated and feel gutted and angry because if I didn’t I’d have a different decision to make.
“I don’t think I’ve got anything to prove – England know what I can do, the selectors know what I can do – and when I get that opportunity again you can bet I’ll be on the money.”
Latest
-
England
On this day in 2017: Sir Alastair Cook steps down as England Test captain
Cook’s 59 Tests in charge made him the nation’s longest-serving captain at the time.
-
England
Hoggard and Bresnan withdraw as ECB racism process ‘has failed everybody’
The case is due to be heard in public by a Cricket Discipline Commission panel at the start of next month.
-
England
ECB’s Azeem Rafiq racism investigation has ‘failed everyone’ – Matthew Hoggard
Ex-England player Hoggard has withdrawn his co-operation from the process.
-
County Cricket
Ex-England and Yorkshire seamer Matthew Hoggard pulls out of racism hearing
Hoggard was charged by the ECB in June.
-
Women's Cricket
Jon Lewis keen to take World Cup fight to dominant Australia
England open their campaign against the West Indies on February 11.
-
England
Jos Buttler understands ‘complicated’ decision for players to skip Bangladesh
Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Liam Dawson are among those missing the white-ball tour to play in the Pakistan Super League.
-
New Zealand
Kyle Jamieson returns to New Zealand fold for England Tests but Trent Boult out
Fast bowler Jamison has played for New Zealand since last summer.
-
England
Jos Buttler focusing on positives despite England’s series loss in South Africa
There were some standout performances in the series as Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Buttler all made hundreds.
-
England
England hand Rehan Ahmed first white-ball call-up for tour of Bangladesh
Ahmed became England’s youngest men’s Test cricketer when he lined up against Pakistan in Karachi.
-
England
How are England’s prospects looking ahead of World Cup defence?
Twin defeats in Bloemfontein meant victory in Kimberley was a mere consolation for double world champions England.