No regrets for leaving Stuart Broad out: Ben Stokes after Southampton Test defeat

Ben Stokes, the stand-in England skipper, has no regrets for leaving Stuart Broad out of the playing eleven for the opening Test against the West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. It raised a lot of eyebrows that Broad, who has 485 Test wickets, didn’t find a spot in the lineup.

Rather, the Brits went with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood to partner the experienced James Anderson. About Broad’s exclusion, Stokes, who stood in for Joe Root, said that he was lucky to leave out a player of his calibre.

After the snub, the 34-year-old Broad lashed out saying that he played a key role in the 2019 Ashes and England’s victory against South Africa earlier this year. Stokes was happy to see Broad’s passion in the interview, but said that going with him would have sent the wrong message to the other team members.

Stuart is a fantastic bowler, says Ben Stokes

“I don’t regret leaving Stuart Broad out, and we are fortunate to leave someone like him out. I would be upset if he didn’t show the passion he did in that interview, and he’s nowhere near done. If he plays in the second Test I hope he walks off with some wickets,” Stokes was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

“We made a decision based around thinking pace was going to stand us a better place in the long game. Stuart is a fantastic bowler and he understands the reasons why. If I was to regret that, I don’t think that sends the right message to the other guys I picked. Looking at the interview he gave I thought it was absolutely brilliant, to see the desire and passion that he showed,” he added.

The decision to exclude Broad backfired as the Three Lions ended up losing the match by four wickets after Jermaine Blackwood’s 154-ball 95. The hosts got the Caribbean team on the mat, reducing them to 27 for three in the second innings.

But the likes of Blackwood, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich and skipper Jason Holder held their nerve and took West Indies over the line. The second Test begins on July 16 at the Old Trafford in Manchester.