'Like Ashwin against me..,' Ben Stokes On Stuart Broad's Inclusion In Edgbaston Test To Counter David Warner
Stuart Broad has dismissed David Warner 14 times in Test cricket [Source: Twitter]
England named their playing XI for the first Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday, and included pacer Stuart Broad. 'The Ashes 2023' gets underway this evening, when both arch-rivals clash against each other at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
On the eve of the opening Test, England Test skipper Ben Stokes explained the reason behind Broad's inclusion in the XI, which was to keep down David Warner, who has been troubled by the latter in his Test career.
A bunny to Broad, Warner has been dismissed by the swing bowler 14 times, including seven times in the last 2019 Ashes series played in England. As quoted by India Today, Stokes likened Broad and Warner's rivalry to his and India's Ravichandran Ashwin.
The off-spinner has gotten the better of Stokes 10 times in international cricket across formats.
Here's what Stokes said
"I'd be lying if I said no. It’s just one of those things – like Ashwin against me. ‘Broady’ has been an unbelievable performer over many years. 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 will be under immense pressure to perform, knowing his time is running out with the Australian Test side, given his lack of runs since the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 in India.
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