Stuart Broad is England’s second highest wicket taker of all time. The leggy blonde legendary figure running into the crease full pelt throwing back his arm and directing a shiny new red ball towards the stumps of fearsome batsmen has become iconic in Test Cricket over the last thirteen years whilst watching England. Broad at one end, Jimmy Anderson at the other, one of the highest regarded bowling attacks in world cricket. But earlier this week, that all meant nothing.

After his stunning performance against Australia (and in particular verses David Warner) in the tied Ashes series, Broad followed up a solid summer in becoming the leading wicket taker in the South Africa series during the winter which England won 3-1.

The 34-year-old Nottingham born bowler however got quite the surprise when England’s stand in captain Ben Stokes suggested that the 138 cap international icon was ‘not needed’ to face West Indies in the first test at Southampton.

Broad who has been training with the test squad this summer in preparation for England’s revised behind-closed-door series suggested “to say I’m disappointed would be an understatement”…. Broad furthered “I’ve been frustrated, angry, gutted, because it’s quite a hard decision to understand”.

When asked how he was told of his omission from the first test which started on Wednesday, Broad said “I found out about 6pm the night before the game, Stokesy told me we’re going for extra pace in these conditions”

“I spoke to Ed Smith who’s involved in picking the thirteen, he said they picked purely for this pitch. I wanted clarifications on the future, I was given pretty positive feedback for going forward”.

Broad said “I’m not a particularly emotional person but I’ve found the last couple of days quite tough” saying “It’s quite a hard decision to understand, I’ve probably bowled the best I’ve ever bowled in the last couple of years, I felt like it was my shirt but we’re also in a very unique position this summer, very rarely do you get all your bowlers fit like we’ve got at the minute and all bowlers raring to go”.

“It is hard to take, but also I’m quite pleased I feel frustrated and gutted and angry because if I didn’t, I would have a different decision to make”.

The Nottinghamshire seamer was axed for extra pace and bounce at Southampton with Ben Stokes’s Durham team-mate Mark Wood getting the nod in selection for England which means if the pick really is pitch orientated than Broad could return for the Old Trafford Test next week which is likely to suit more his style of bowling. Result and performance may also dictate how the selectors go however and should Broad again be omitted it would mean an even longer and more agonising wait for a bowler who is just 15 short of 500 test wickets. Something only six bowlers on earth have astonishingly achieved.

*Main image @indiatvnews Stuart Broad still hopeful of selection for the Old Trafford test next week.