Southampton, July 10: Seasoned England pacer Stuart Broad on Friday said he felt “frustrated, angry and gutted” after being dropped from the opening Test against West Indies, adding that he sought clarifications over his future in the team.
The hosts opted to go for James Anderson, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer alongside stand-in captain Ben Stokes and spinner Dom Bess, leaving out Broad from the first Test which started here on Wednesday.
Broad, who is England’s second highest wicket-taker of all time with 485 scalps in the longest format of the game, last missed a home Test eight years ago when he was rested against West Indies in 2012.
“I found out about 6pm the night before the game. Stokesy told me just that they’re going with extra pace in these conditions,” Broad said on Sky Sports’ ‘Player Zone’.
“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,” he added.
The 34-year-old, who finished as the team’s top wicket-taker in the Ashes last year and in the previous series in South Africa, said he received a positive feedback from national selector Ed Smith.
“I wanted clarifications on the future going forward and I was given pretty positive feedback going forward.”
“I spoke to 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,” Broad said.
“To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement: you get disappointed if you drop your phone and break your screen,” he added.
Broad conceded that England are in a unique position considering all their fast bowlers are fit to play.
“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.
The seamer, however, feels that it augers well that he’s frustrated with the decision as it will motivate him to come back stronger.
“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,” Broad added. (PTI)
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