Veteran England fast bowler Stuart Broad admitted that the 4-0 drubbing the side got in the 2021/22 Ashes in Australia isn't a real series in his view, citing that the visitors lacked "high level performance" and passion from the players because of the pandemic restrictions.
Australia thrashed England 4-0 to retain the urn in fast bowler Pat Cummins' first series as the Test captain. It was also a series which was heavily impacted by the presence of Covid-19 restrictions, with Cummins and Travis Head missing one match each due to being indirectly or directly affected by the virus.
"Nothing was harsher than the last Ashes series. In my mind, I don't class that as a real Ashes. The definition of Ashes cricket is elite sport with lots of passion and players at the top of their game."
"Nothing about that series was high level performance because of the Covid restrictions. The training facilities, the travel, not being able to socialise. I've written it off as a void series," Broad was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.
Broad played only three Tests on the 2021/22 Ashes tour, picking up 13 wickets at an average of 26.30. With England currently running on the wave of revolutionizing Test cricket under head coach Brendon McCullum, Broad holds extra excitement for the Ashes series set to start from June 16.
"I think I'm even more excited than in my first Ashes. In 2009 I was apprehensive and very nervous. It was all very tiring because I was into it so much but I'm chilled now. I love it. I'm addicted to it and I'm addicted to the way we're playing."
"When you take the result out of the equation it takes pressure away so really if our only goal is to entertain I can do that. It's my natural way of playing now and I will happily do something that's fun to watch or even silly to watch, like being the 'NightHawk'."
"We can entertain as a team and if we win along the way superb. But the one thing we will do is enjoy it and put on a show."Broad currently has 576 wickets and can become only the second player from England to get to the 600-wickets mark in Tests if he takes 24 scalps in the upcoming Ashes. Asked about approaching the milestone, Broad remarked about not thinking of it.
"I don't think about 600 wickets. It doesn't bother me at all. Only because I got to that stage last year when I was so disappointed to be left out I thought I'd never take another wicket. So everything is a great bonus for me now."
"I used to see it as winning series all the time but Baz has said 'winning one Test is an unbelievable feat so enjoy that moment'. And he's so right. In England we can get so hung up on what's coming but it's all about what's happening now."
"What I'm trying to say is whether I play one or five you're not going to get an angry Stuart Broad talking about being dropped. It will be 'we're all in this together. We've got five Tests against Australia. We will all be needed whether it will be talking one wicket or 20. So let's get ready for that'," he concluded.