Stuart Broad assesses injury recovery with bowling coach Ottis Gibson in an inpromptu practice session

The aftermath of Vardah storm and hastily prepared pitch could restrict England fast bowler Stuart Broad from coming out to test his fitness and check if his foot could take his weight. Broad, who’s missed the last two Tests, made a quiet visit to the Chemplast ground, some 13 km from Chepauk at around 4 pm for a discreet informal fitness test.

It was a low-key appearance when Broad, accompanied by bowling Coach Ottis Gibson and another member of the support staff, reached the venue in ‘tempo traveller’ sporting the English version of the ‘sports bra’.

The session was all about assessing the injury and Broad bowled mere 36 deliveries at the Chemplast ground. After knocking the middle-stump regularly with fuller length deliveries, Broad got into a lengthy discussion with Gibson

“That would have been a wicket,” he screamed with glee after getting a ball on the perfect Broad length which hit the surface and rocketed into the glove of the support staff member.

Broad was at Chemplast for exactly an hour before posing for pictures with a couple of the ground staff and a young kid who couldn’t believe his eyes as Broad walked off the ground. Gibson, though, seemed more surprised to find a couple of journalists at the venue, quipping, “News spreads fast around here, doesn’t it!” with a smile before boarding the tempo van.

Broad’s impromptu session at Chemplast could not have been possible if Vijay, the 50-year-old in charge of the Chemplast ground, not buckled up made arrangements at the nick of a time. It was a normal routine for Vijay who was setting himself up to get started with the task of getting the ground back in shape with the off-season having commenced. However, he had to speed up things after receiving an unexpected phone call at 7 am, inquiring whether he could get a pitch ready for the session.

“You can’t say no to such opportunities. So I quickly saw the nature of the pitch and told my authorities that I could do it. At around 10.30 am, a couple of senior members from the English team management came around for an inspection and they were happy. Then Broad came here at 4 pm like was planned,” said Vijay.

“They seemed happy with how his body was coping and how he was bowling. In my opinion, he should be fit to play the Chennai Test,” he added.