England Test captain Ben Stokes said that Stuart Broad’s record against David Warner played a crucial role in his selection for the Ashes opener.
Broad’s dominance over Warner during the 2019 campaign was a decisive factor in his selection, as he dismissed the Australian opener seven times in 10 innings, resulting in an average of less than 10 for the series. Stokes acknowledged the impact of Broad’s performance against Warner, stating, “I’d be lying if I said no.”
Stokes also praised Broad’s remarkable track record, likening it to India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s performances against him.
“It’s just one of those things – like Ashwin against me. ‘Broady’ has been an unbelievable performer over many years,” Stokes said.
“What the Ashes brings, it’s so hard to look past someone like that. It’s so hard to look past Jimmy and ‘Robbo’ as well, he’s been incredible over the last year in all conditions. I’m very happy with the team we’ve ended up picking.”
Warner, who showed signs of form during the World Test Championship (WTC) final, where he scored 43 runs in the first innings, is determined to take a more aggressive approach against Broad compared to their encounter four years ago.
