One of most feared red-ball bowlers: Yuvraj congratulates Broad

PTI, Jul 31, 2023, 9:54 AM IST

Image credit: Twitter / @ICC

New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Sunday penned a farewell note for retiring England pacer Stuart Broad, calling him one of the ”most feared” red-ball bowlers, whose international career has been an inspiration for many.

The 37-year-old pacer abruptly announced his retirement from international cricket on the third day of the fifth Ashes Test against Australia.

”Congratulations on an incredible Test career one of the finest and most feared red ball bowlers, and a real legend! Your journey and determination have been super inspiring. Good luck for the next leg Broady!” Yuvraj wrote on Twitter.

Yuvraj had become the first Indian to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket while facing Broad during the 2007 T20 World Cup in Durban.

Broad said it was a tough day but that incident triggered his evolution, as it ”steeled” him up.

”It was obviously a pretty tough day. What would I have been: 21, 22? (22) I learned loads. I pretty much based a whole mental routine through that experience knowing that I was left very short as an international performer in that moment,” Broad had said in the press conference at The Oval on Saturday.

”I’d rushed my preparation. I didn’t have any sort of pre-ball routine. I didn’t have any focus, particularly, and I started building my ‘warrior mode’ that I call it after that experience.

”Ultimately, of course, I wish that didn’t happen. I think what really helped me was it was a dead rubber, so it didn’t feel like I’d knocked us out of the World Cup or something. But I think it steeled me up to make me the competitor I am to this day and has driven me forward a huge amount.” Broad was given a guard of honour on Sunday when he came out to bat for the final time.

He is the fifth most successful bowler in Test history with 602 wickets.