‘Stuart Broad has been terrific bowler’: Rahul Dravid salutes England's 'special cricketer' amid 5th Ashes Test

Rahul Dravid has shared a special message for England pacer Stuart Broad, who is retiring from cricket after the end of the Ashes.

Indian head coach Rahul Dravid had nothing but praise for Stuart Broad as the veteran England pacer is set to bid farewell to Test cricket after the final encounter of the high-profile Ashes series on Monday. Senior pacer Broad issued a shock announcement about calling time on his glorious Test career during the fifth and final Test of the bilateral series between hosts England and Australia on Saturday. Broad's bombshell announcement arrived after Ben Stokes’ England took a massive stride towards levelling the Ashes series 1-1 in London.

Dravid has shared a special message for Broad amid the 5th Ashes Test (AFP-Reuters)

Congratulating Broad on what has been an incredible Test career for the Three Lions, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid hailed the Englishman as one of the greatest players in red-ball cricket. Speaking to reporters after India's meeting with the West Indies in the 2nd One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at Bridgetown, head coach Dravid labelled the senior England fast bowler as a 'special cricketer'.

'Broad has been a terrific bowler'

In his special message for England cricketer, Dravid observed that Test cricket will never forget Broad's incredible partnership with legendary fast bowler James Anderson. Broad and Anderson are the all-time leading wicket-taking pacers in Test cricket. "He (Broad) has been a terrific bowler, he has been a great. His partnership with Jimmy Anderson will always be remembered. Anderson and Broad the whole decade they played for England, they have really put in some fantastic performances. To take 600 wickets and to play the number of Test matches he has takes a special kind of cricketer," Dravid said.

'My best wishes to Broad'

"My best wishes to him and congratulations on a fantastic career. I hope he gets to finish it off in the best possible way he wants to," Dravid added. Broad smashed a six in his final batting appearance for England on Day 4 of the 5th Test against Australia at The Oval. The 37-year-old pacer received a guard of honour from Pat Cummins' Australian side when the Englishman walked out to bat with Anderson on the penultimate day of the 5th Test. Broad remained unbeaten on eight as England folded for 395 in the 2nd innings. The fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, Broad has picked up 602 wickets for England in 167 games.