"Bowled absolute filth" - Stuart Broad slams star England player after ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Legendary pacer Stuart Broad voiced his displeasure with England batter Harry Brook's bowling during the recently finished drawn fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Manchester. The part-time bowler delivered three overs in the final hour of Day 5 (Sunday, July 27).

He remained wicketless and conceded 24 runs. Broad labeled the 26-year-old's bowling as 'absolute filth'. Commenting on the bowling action, the former England cricketer suggested that it seemed like a poor man's Dan Lawrence.

It is worth noting that Brook was given the ball at a point when the game was heading towards a tie. Skipper Ben Stokes wasn't eager to use his main bowlers at that moment to avoid any injury risks.

Reacting to Brooks' bowling, Broad said in a video posted on the YouTube channel, For The Love Of Cricket, (at 18:39):

"Harry Brook came on to bowl and bowled absolute filth. He bowled off spin. It was a bit of an embarrassing moment because we put the little ticker up at the bottom, Harry Brook onto bowl, one Test match wicket, poor Kane Williamson, caught down the leg side in Wellington, right-arm medium pace. And he ran up and bowled off spin. He looked like a poor man's Dan Lawrence. He just bowled down the leg side, trying to almost get the game done."

There was some drama in the final session on Day 5, with India refusing Ben Stokes' offer to call off the match. The visitors wanted to bat a little longer, with all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar nearing their respective hundreds.

While Stokes and a few English players appeared visibly upset with India's decision, Broad believed that both teams were justified in their stance. The former cricketer turned commentator remarked (17:54):

"There are certain instances where both teams can be right. Stokes is right to take his cap off and offer the handshake. His team have fielded 143 overs, they are knackered, they are exhausted, they want to get off the field, there is no result that can happen. Also, the Indian batters are right to go; I've really worked hard for the last few hours, and I'm going to get a hundred."

Jadeja and Sundar ultimately remained unbeaten on 107 and 101, respectively. Their 203*-run stand for the fifth wicket was instrumental in India salvaging a draw by finishing 425/4 in their second innings.

England continue leading the five-match series 2-1. The fifth and final Test will be played at Kennington Oval, London, from July 31 to August 4.

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"Well within his rights to say I want it to be a Test match century" - Jos Buttler on Washington Sundar wanting to complete his hundred on Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

England's wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler was also part of the same discussion. He emphasized that Washington Sundar deserved to hit his maiden Test century after doing all the hard work.

However, he remarked that Jadeja and Sundar's efforts would have been regarded highly even if they had accepted Stokes' offer to call off the play. Buttler stated (from 21:23):

"Even if you shook hands at that point, the value of that innings is there for all to see, whether it's 75, 89, or 103. I don't think the value of that changes. But we are all cricketers who say we're not for the milestones and some of that, but there is a big element to that. Washington Sundar, having never scored a Test match century, is well within his rights to say I want it to be a Test match century."

The Indian batters did a commendable job with the bat to pull off a crucial draw against England. Skipper Shubman Gill also hit a gritty century, scoring 103 runs off 238 balls, while opener KL Rahul contributed 90 runs from 230 deliveries.