'They are the two best bowlers in England' - Ben Stokes backs Broad, Anderson

In the latest interaction, the newly appointed England captain, Ben Stokes, has given significant backing to the veteran fast bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson for their return to the Test team.

The 30-year old all-rounder reckoned that Broad and Anderson are the best bowlers in England, and it will be stupid to keep them away from the setup. 

“The best way to give yourself a winning Test match is picking your 11 best players. If James Anderson and Stuart Broad are fit, they’re up for selection because they are the two best bowlers in England,” said Stokes in a press conference. 

“They are two of the greats of the game, and in my opinion, it’s stupid to never consider them for selection. They are part of the best 11, so it’s pretty simple,” he further added.’

Anderson and Broad were overlooked for the recent Test series against West Indies, with the selectors looking to lend opportunities to the youngsters and groom them for the future. 

However, the loss of 0-1 against the West Indies served as a major disappointment for England, and the captain Joe Root stepping down from the leadership role added more salt to the wounds. 

The fast bowlers last featured in the England whites against Australia in the Ashes 2021/22 but were dropped from the team due to their ineffectiveness in inducing wickets, as the Three Lions lost 0-4 Down Under. 

With Stokes at the helm, two leading wicket-takers are expected to get a national call-up in their next assignment against New Zealand in the first week of June.

It will be interesting to see if the all-rounder follows Root’s footsteps for ‘rest and rotation policy’ during his stint or bring the English side back to winning ways.