"He probably didn’t rate me as much as other players" - Stuart Broad on former selector Ed Smith

England pacer Stuart Broad has revealed that his equation with former selector Ed Smith wasn’t the best. Broad revealed that he felt undervalued by Smith but added that he kept contesting to prove some of his decisions wrong.

Ed Smith took over as England’s national selector in 2018, and the team prospered under his helm. They won the 2019 World Cup, and quite a few fine talents were unearthed. But Stuart Broad opined that there was a communication gap in his case.

When asked to apprise about the time when Ed Smith was the national selector, Stuart Broad, speaking at an event for Chance To Shine run by Lifebuoy, said:

“I think you can say it was a success in the sense that the team won games and a World Cup. And he brought some fine players through. But personally, from my point of view, we struggled a bit on the communication side and probably saw the game of cricket slightly differently.

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“A lot of people have bosses who don’t rate them as much as other people, and I think he was mine. He probably didn’t rate me as much as other players. That’s fine, but I kept trying to prove some selection decisions wrong.

“I really disagreed with getting left out in Barbados where it’s one of the best places to bowl as a tall fast bowler and there are a few occasions where I have felt a bit disgruntled and didn’t have the clarity of communication that I would like.”

England will be naming the squad for their two-Test series against New Zealand on Tuesday, the first after Ed Smith’s termination last month. The powers of the national selector are now vested in the hands of the head coach, in this instance - Chris Silverwood.

Wouldn’t mind missing a game if the communication is done well: Stuart Broad

Last summer, Stuart Broad was sidelined for the first Test against West Indies at the Rose Bowl. He didn’t seem pleased with that decision, particularly after the lack of communication about why he was dropped.

“I was disgruntled because the selectors had said the first Test team of the summer will be our best team. To be told I suddenly wasn’t in the best team with my record in England, that’s what upset me.”

Stuart Broad feels that communicating well will help the players understand the thought process behind the decisions better.

“Is it realistic that I’m going to play every Test? No. But if the communication is done well, you understand why you might miss certain games to be fit for others. When the communication disappears, that’s when players can’t see reasons.”

With Jofra Archer ruled out of the New Zealand Tests due to an elbow injury, Stuart Broad is expected to play a pivotal role in the series.

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