'Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, and Sam Cook' - Ian Bell tips three bowlers to take Stuart Broad's place in England team

Stuart Broad shocked the cricket world when he announced after Day 3 of the fifth Ashes Test in London that it would be his last match. The right-arm pacer brought the curtains down on a stellar career in red-ball cricket, finishing at number five on the list of highest wicket-takers in Tests. England will now have to look for someone who could fill the gigantic void after Broad's retirement.

Former England batter Ian Bell, however, believes that there are players like Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, and Sam Cook, who may step in and rise to the opportunity. Ollie Robinson is an obvious choice because he has done well for England over a decent period of time. Josh Tongue has shown promise in the two matches he has played, picking up 10 wickets for his efforts. Sam Cook is the third name that Ian Bell put forward. The 26-year-old is yet to make his international debut but has shown promise in county cricket.

"Stuart Broad’s retirement means England need to find a replacement. I think as far as replacing Broad goes, England have options and they are down the road to finding some good operators. Ollie Robinson, of course, comes back into the team," Bell told Betfair.

"Josh Tongue made his debut this summer and it looked as though he could handle the pressure of a big series. Sam Cook, from Essex, could do a job. I was with him with the Lions in Sri Lanka. He has a high skill level, hits the top of off with consistency like nobody else and his control of length is fantastic." 

Ian Bell wants England to be patient with youngsters like Josh Tongue and Sam Cook

The 41-year-old Bell advised England to invest time in youngsters like Josh Tongue (25) and Sam Cook (26) as they will need their own time to flourish.

‘What is key is recognising that guys like Tongue or Cook need time to bed in. You can’t expect either of them to be as good as Stuart straightaway," said Bell.

England's next Test assignment is in India where they play a five-match series against the Rohit Sharma-led side in early 2024.