Stuart Broad, The Ashes Warrior and a Fitting Finale

600+ wickets, 166 Tests and 17 years at the highest level, Stuart Broad has seen it all. From making his debut in white-ball cricket in 2006 to sledging and being schooled by Sourav Ganguly, and later being hit for a career-changing 6 sixes in an over, Stuart Broad did not have the best initiations to International Cricket.

What Stuard Broad did have though was passion and aggression. His competitive spirit was what separated him from his teammates as Broad generally was the one to spark the engine as England get ready for battle. Even before the current Ashes series, it was Stuart Broad who began the mind games when he spoke about his desire to watch Steve Smith bat a certain way.

Over his 17 years, Stuart Broad has worked his magic throughout the World and also went through some tough times as England threatened to take the new-ball away from him on quiet a few occasions. A crucial part of his career though will always be his battles against Australia.

For a player who has watched Australia at their best while growing up, Stuart Broad tried to emulate their brand of aggression and competitiveness. He started his Ashes journey in 2009 and has since gone on to take 151 wickets, the most by an English Cricketer against Australia. Overall, in Australia-England encounters, Stuart Broad stands third, behind his idols Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

The Ashes would continue to be his defining point as Stuart Broad was hot topic during the ten Tests which took place between the two sides in 2013-2014. When Stuart Broad chose not to walk after edging a delivery, he became public enemy number one in Australia. The crowd was very hostile when he went to Australia later that year, and both him and England would not like to remember that series as Mitchell Johnson haunted them with his thunderbolts.

Broad though had his moments to brag in the first Test as he took five wickets in front of a crowd that wanted to see the worst happen to Stuart Broad at Brisbane. Despite Australia’s dominance, Broad stood out as his character was lauded by the English media in the face of some hostile performances from their opposition. He had more moments of redemption in 2015. After a bad World Cup, and a tough period in white-ball cricket where he briefly led the T20 side, Broad shifted his focus solely towards Test Cricket as England’s white-ball team changed direction.

He extended his run-up, started coming around the wicket more and from here on his dominance against David Warner began. He took 21 wickets in the 2015 Ashes series, often filling in when James Anderson missed out too injury. His 8-15 came in that series when he ripped the Australian batting line-up apart setting up a one-sided affair on a day where it all came through perfectly for him.

Stuart Broad though struggled in the away Ashes that followed in 2017, leading to questions over his longevity, and talks about the new ball being taken away from him with a new partner in search for James Anderson. He took ten wickets across the ten Tests in his worst haul against the Australians as England were left hoping for miracles from James Anderson, which he did provide on a few occasions like the Pink Ball Test where he kept them alive with a five-for.

The story didn’t end there though, despite talks of losing the new ball, Stuart Broad, a man who loves competition earnt it back with a strong performance against India. He peaked once more in the 2019 Ashes stepping up in the absence of James Anderson. With 19 wickets, Broad was at it again, and this time he haunted David Warner who was dismissed by him nine times in ten innings. His battle with Warner was the highlight as Stuart Broad continued to haunt him, dismissing him a record 17 times throughout his career.

Stuart Broad though still had some incomplete business in Australia. For a player who loves playing against Australia, Stuart Broad’s record in 2017 was dismal. He went back once more time in 2022 and cranked it up. His pace was good throughout the series and in the three Tests he played, Stuart Broad managed a five for and a haul of 13 wickets, reigniting his love for bowling against the Australian team.

If 2022 was a redemption, 2023 was going up higher. The last fourteen months has seen Stuart Broad bowl in a new manner under the new leadership, with the captain and coach looking for his aggressive style. He was dropped after the 2022 Ashes but the new group wanted him back and Broad has delivered ever since his return. In his Final Ashes, Stuart Broad opened up the first Test dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in quick time to set up the battle.

Throughout the series, along with Mark Wood, Stuart Broad was the one England turned to when they needed something special. With the media too, Broad was the one who started the mind games and with the bat Broad had his moments with Alex Carey after the Bairstow incident. To cap off his Final Test against Australia is a special moment for England’s leading wicket-taker against Australia.

Along with Stuart Broad the bowler, Stuart Broad the batter too was one to talk about. A decent left-hander, Broad had his numbers with his name on the Lords Honours board as well. He was pretty confident up until a Varun Aaron bouncer to the nose shook him up. Broad though found some more confidence in the Bazball period as the nighthawk, a role given by Ben Stokes.

It was a fitting moment to see him launch his final ball as a batter for six, and to take a wicket off his last ball too was just as fitting as he closed the Test match with a beautiful delivery to Alex Carey. His moment came through well and is now past as Stuart Broad walks away with 604 wickets behind him.