“I think they [Broad and Anderson] he deserved better. They know they don’t have much time left, they know it may be a matter of months or a year, and they want to play as much cricket as possible. I hope this is not the end, because I think they deserved better” – Nasser Hussain.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has said sky sports James Anderson and Stuart Broad deserved better, while England’s interim managing director Andrew Strauss says: “I hope they understand.”
On Tuesday, Anderson and Broad were surprisingly left out of England’s 16-man squad to face the West Indies in next month’s Test series.
With 640 wickets in 169 games, the 39-year-old Anderson is the most prolific and experienced closer in Test history, while the 35-year-old Broad is close behind with 537 wickets in 152 appearances.
Hussain, who captained England from 1999-2003, called the decision to omit them “a great decision” and said he felt Broad and Anderson deserved better.
“There was a lot of talk about maybe one of them being left out, not both, so it’s a great decision by Andrew Strauss,” Hussain said. sky sports On Wednesday.
“Well, that decision [to retire completely] now it’s obviously in the hands of Broad and Anderson.
“They are very proud cricketers, and it’s not easy at their age to suddenly have a huge gap, and I really feel sorry for Broad and Anderson, I have to be honest.
“I think they deserved better. The effort, the pain, the sweat and the hours in the gym to get to where they are, to get back in shape after being injured.”
“They know they don’t have much time left, they know it could be a matter of months or maybe a year, and they would want to play as much cricket as they can to make sure they’re there right at the end of their careers and be able to say, ‘I got all I could. of my self’.
“I feel sorry for them, and they are proud men. They can say: ‘OK, thank you very much, we’ll talk about other things’, who knows?
“I hope this is not the end, because I think they deserved better.
“From what I’ve seen of them, they like to have a point to prove, both of them.
“I would love to see them in the summer and the boss has had to call them and throw that ball to them.
“If they were a dwindling force then I’d say ‘yes, it’s time to move on’. But they’re not. They’re bowling as well as ever and some opposition batsmen will be glad they’re not on the scoresheet. team”.
“The problem in Australia wasn’t Anderson and Broad, and it wasn’t Joe Root at number 4, and those are the two main things that will change for the next tour.
“Strauss is a very good man. He has reset things in the past and he did well. Hopefully he did well.”
Asked if he thought the decision to omit Broad and Anderson might have been related to Root’s captaincy and a locker room culture, Hussain responded firmly.
“Only Joe Root knows if that’s really the case,” he said. “I would be very disappointed if that were the case, because the main goal of captaincy and management is to be able to manage, not difficult characters, but just characters that do it differently.
“And characters who have incredible experience, and who have a voice in that dressing room and don’t mind talking.
“That’s part of being a captain. The last thing you want is 10 men yes and yourself, and you go out there and keep losing test matches.
“The reason Anderson and Broad are great cricketers is that they push themselves and those around them to be brilliant. They don’t settle for mediocrity.
“So I really hope this decision isn’t about a captain who can’t handle Broad and Anderson, and I hope it’s what Strauss said, that we’re looking to the future and making sure that when we leave home we have an attack. suitable for all conditions.
England interim managing director Strauss met interim head coach Paul Collingwood, scout James Taylor and captain Root on Tuesday to wrap up the three-match series tour.
