Stuart Broad plays down Ashes ‘War’, says ‘it’s a game of cricket’

Stuart Broad, England paceman, is refusing to rise to Australia opener David Warner’s declaration of “war” as Joe Root’s men prepare to fly out to defend the Ashes.

With their teams engrossed in a war of words as the Ashes 2017-18 approaches, the latest to join the exchange is senior England cricketer Stuart Broad, who has claimed he does not need to ‘hate’ Australian cricketers.

Stuart Broad will hold the key to England’s chances in the upcoming Ashes series, starting November 23. Australia and England have won 32 series each and five of them have been drawn. (Twitter)

Broad has tried to set an example of being calm and composed ahead of England’s tour of Australia for which they leave later this week — a remark in contrast to the explosive comments made by Australia vice-captain David Warner.

(Read | How Steve Smith was chosen as Australian cricket captain in an Adelaide bar)

Warner had stoked a controversy when he asserted during a radio interview that he would have to find ‘hate’ towards England cricketers, and had termed the Ashes series against England as a ‘war’.

On his part, Broad has tried to douse the fire. According to the Daily Telegraph, Broad says, “I don’t have to hate them. It’s a game of cricket, not war.”

(Read | Darren Lehmann says he may ditch Australian cricket team’s ODI, T20 coach role)

“Actually I loved that trip, I liked the pantomime villain stuff. As a cricketer it was as close as you get to being a footballer playing away from home. (Lehmann) needed something to unite the public and media behind the Australian side and he chose me,” Broad said.

Broad recalled a lesson that he learned while reading former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson’s book.

“Because I knew (the hostility) was coming, I prepared for it. I read Alex Ferguson’s book about how he’d once told Patrick Vieira, who’d had dog’s abuse from the Old Trafford crowd, ‘they wouldn’t be abusing you if they didn’t respect you’,” he said.

(Read | Pakistan cricket captain Sarfraz Ahmed felt ‘fear’ after rejecting fixing offer)

He added, “Whether Aussies meant it that way, that’s how I decided to take it; they were only doing it because they were scared of me.”

‘England need to have belief’

Broad has urged his side to have belief when they take on Australia in the series starting November 23, at The Gabba in Brisbane.

“When you go to Australia you have to have a genuine belief in your team that you can win. And I have that. I believe we can win. The (Andrew) Strauss-led side that got to number one in 2011 was the most efficient, disciplined group I’ve ever played with, but this team now is the most exciting,” he expressed.

“Moeen (Ali), Jonny (Bairstow), Stokesy: you don’t know what will happen. But something will. True, we’re not as consistent. But we can win games out of nowhere,” Broad concluded.