Stuart Broad considered retiring after being dropped by England

Stuart Broad has revealed he was “so down” after being dropped for the first Test match against West Indies that he considered retiring.
Broad, 34, who claims he is bowling as well as ever and has never been fitter, returned to the side for the second and third Tests and played a key role as England hit back to win the series 2-1.
“Were there thoughts of retirement going round my head? One hundred per cent. Because I was so down,” he told the Mail on Sunday.
“I was expecting to play, which is always a bit of a dangerous thing in sport but I felt I deserved to play.
Broad explained that the coronavirus restrictions placed on all the players during the Test series did not help as he tried to come to terms with being dropped for the first Test in Southampton.
“I have not really told anyone this but I was so down that week of the first Test,” he said. “I was really low. I was stuck in that hotel. I couldn’t go anywhere.
” I wasn’t playing, I was staying in a single room. I didn’t sleep for two days. I was nowhere. A different decision could definitely have been made with my emotions of how I was feeling.”
Broad said his family had played a crucial role in helping him through the period, as had England skipper Ben Stokes.
“Stokesy was brilliant,” Broad added. “Stokesy knocked on my door on the Thursday night and stayed in the corridor to talk to me. He said: ‘This isn’t about cricket, but how are you, mate?’ That was very impressive for him to do.
What’s your favourite @StuartBroad8 moment? 🏴🏏 pic.twitter.com/q3aJSfatRL
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 29, 2020
“In this modern world, sometimes face-to-face comfort can get lost. I have always had a huge amount of respect for Stokes and I will be friends with him for life, but what he did almost added to that.”
The 34-year-old, who became the seventh player in history to take 500 Test wickets in the third Test, insists he is a better player now than he was 10 years ago and that age should be no barrier.
“I might have been more exciting when I was 24 or have been more unpredictable so a bit more interesting to watch, but there is no doubt that a captain would rather have me bowling for him now than when I was 24,” he said.
“I have seen a lot of numbers over the past week since I took my 500th wicket. The last 18 months, I have been averaging 20.5 per wicket in Test cricket.
“Take age out of that. If anyone were doing that at any age, you would want to keep them around the team for a bit and not look past it.”
Latest
-
News
Jos Buttler plans to be his own man as England white-ball captain
Eoin Morgan’s successor is ready to lead the limited-overs team into a new era.
-
England
Jos Buttler challenges England to take their white-ball game to new levels
The new limited-overs captain is ready for his first assignment.
-
Australia
Australia’s Steve Smith says England’s ‘Bazball’ is ‘good fun to joke about’
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have inspired a positive approach in recent Tests.
-
England
Ben Stokes reveals ‘the nighthawk’s’ role in England’s bold new approach
The Test captain is determined to create a legacy in cricket.
-
England
England duo Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root add further statistical accomplishments
The Yorkshire pair put on an unbroken 269 in an England-record run chase of 378 for three.
-
England
I have unfinished business – Moeen Ali to rejoin Warwickshire after Pears exit
The 35-year-old came through the Bears ranks and made his first-class debut there in 2005 before joining Worcestershire the following year.
-
England
On this day in 2017 – Joe Root makes 184no in first innings as England captain
Root impressed in the first Test against South Africa.
-
England
A golden summer for England’s Yorkshire run machines
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow have been responsible for seven centuries between them.
-
England
Joe Root relishing being a ‘rock star’ after England’s historic win over India
New Test captain Ben Stokes wants team to be entertainers.
-
England
Fans found guilty of racist abuse at Edgbaston face bans from cricket grounds
Investigations have been launched into allegations of abuse during the fifth Test between England and India.