‘700-plus a good chance’: Former Australia legend Shane Warne thinks Stuart Broad can achieve bigger milestone

Broad, who was dropped from the England playing XI in the first Test against West Indies, made a stunning comeback in the second Test to help his team level the series. But it was in the third Test that Broad showed why he is such an important member of the English team, especially in home conditions.

Stuart Broad on Tuesday became the seventh bowler ever and the second Englishman to pick 500 Test wickets and his achievement is being lauded by the entire cricketing fraternity. Former greats who have either play with or again Broad and those played before him have taken to social media to praise his hard work and determination.

England's Stuart Broad celebrates taking his 500th test wicket with teammates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite.(REUTERS)

Broad, who was dropped from the England playing XI in the first Test against West Indies, made a stunning comeback in the second Test to help his team level the series. But it was in the third Test that Broad showed why he is such an important member of the English team, especially in home conditions.

He picked up 10 wickets in the match as England recorded a resounding win and captured the three-match series 2-1.

One man, who has seen Broad play from close quarters is Australian legend Shane Warne. Broad has been a scourge for the Aussies and Warne, who has commentated in several of those Ashes series knows all about the medium pacer’s abilities.

Warne, who was the first bowler to pick 700 Test wickets before seeing Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan surpass him, has said in a tweet that Broad has time on his side to pick 700 wickets.

That is a huge statement from a legend of the game and Broad would want to prove Warne right.

Warne took to social media to praise Broad and tweeted: “Congrats on the win & on 500th wicket too mate and at only 34 years of age - still plenty of time left, 700+ a good chance.” 

Broad became the second-youngest to conquer Mt. 500 as Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan reached the milestone at the age of 31. However, Broad was the slowest to reach this mark among the special seven as he took 140 Tests to do so.