Broad “considered retirement” after being dropped for first test

The England quick was left out of the first test against the West Indies.

Published by
Jake Benoiton

England seamer Stuart Broad revealed he recently "one hundred percent" considered retiring after being left out of the first test against the West Indies.

Broad returned for the last two tests of the series taking 16 wickets, including his 500th wicket during the 3rd test.

Broad enjoyed a terrific Ashes series in 2019 and spoke about his disappointment after being left out.

"Were there thoughts of retirement going round my head? One hundred per cent," Broad told The Daily Mail, adding being isolated in a bio-secure bubble for the series made the news harder to digest.

"Because I was so down. I was expecting to play, which is always a bit of a dangerous thing in sport, but I felt I deserved to play. If I had had a different conversation with the coach the day after and the coach had said you are not in our plans ... well if you are not in England's plans when you are bowling as well as you can, you are pretty screwed.

"I can't think of many times I have been down like that. When I have been dropped before, I can go 'Fair enough, good decision, can't really argue with that'. This time, when Stokesy (Ben Stokes) told me I wasn't playing, I felt my body go into shakes. I could barely speak. It was a different situation.

"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."

The 34 year-old added that the past month has made him realise how determined he is to continue his England career, with an eye on an Ashes tour in 18 months.

"I believe I can perform in Australia in 18 months' time and my record is suggesting I can," he said.

"I have got a huge, burning desire to go and win in Australia and generally when I have got a burning desire like that, I can drive things forward.

"It's funny, when we were all in lockdown, if you had said to me: 'If your career was to end now how would you feel?' I would have said: "I'm good, I've loved it, I've had some great memories, I could walk away really content and happy, I'm very fortunate to have got where I've got to'.

"Then, when that became reality before the first Test and I get told I'm not playing and theoretically I might never bowl another ball for England, I was angry. It made me think: 'I'm not happy to finish now, I'm not ready to leave the game'.

"Am I happy with my life? Absolutely. Am I happy for my career to finish now? Absolutely not."

 

Published by
Jake Benoiton