Stuart Broad insists he’s happy to wait for his crack at Australia in this summer’s Ashes

There will be no explosions and no angry interviews when Brendon McCullum goes to Stuart Broad in Edgbaston next week and tells him he will miss the start of the Ashes.

The all-new, different Broad, brimming with a teenager’s enthusiasm about England’s very positive style at 36, will simply offer his support to those chosen in his place and bide his time until it’s his turn to attack export to Australia. .

“I feel very happy with how my cricket is and how life is,” said Broad, back at Lord’s on Tuesday, where he took his 20th five-wicket Test against Ireland last week.

‘I feel fit and fresh. Whether I play at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Headingley or anywhere else, I don’t care. I like playing in Australia and I play very well in all areas.’

That wasn’t always the case. Broad has long been the big competitor who refused to be written off, whether it was when former national selector Ed Smith questioned his overseas record or when Andrew Strauss apparently made him a thing of the past by taking him and Jimmy Anderson from England’s tour of leave the Caribbean. last year.

Speaking at the launch of England’s cricket partnership with Laithwaites at Lord’s, Broad has insisted he won’t be upset if he doesn’t play in the first Test of the Ashes

The 36-year-old has had tantrums in the past when he was left out, but believes he has now changed

There have been some memorable broad tantrums in particular, such as when he was left out in Barbados in 2019 in favor of Sam Curran; when he went to Sky’s ‘diary room’ to contest his omission of the first test behind closed doors against the West Indies in the Ageas Bowl a year later – and when he was left out of the first test of the final ill-fated Ashes at Brisbane. Perhaps it was no coincidence that England lost all three of those games.

“I’ve definitely changed and in a good way,” Broad said at the launch of the Laithwaites partnership with England cricket.

“There will be no interviews like the Ageas Bowl. I also raged in Brisbane. But I feel very comfortable whether I play in the first, second, third, fourth or fifth test this year. If I strike just once.’

The key, according to Broad, is that being left out of this England team doesn’t feel like being ripped off.

“If you don’t play at Edgbaston it doesn’t mean you don’t play at Lord’s,” he said. It doesn’t feel like a closed store. In the end, I really enjoy being with this group. It’s really an addictive environment. It’s one in it, all in it.’

Before the series ended with Jack Leach’s injury, it looked like Broad or Mark Wood would have to miss a week in Birmingham on Friday, with Jimmy Anderson and Ollie Robinson sure to play as long as they are fully fit.

That could still be the case if Stokes and McCullum decide to throw Moeen Ali in right away if and when he is confirmed as Leach’s replacement. .

Whichever line-up England choose, it would be foolish to omit Broad, not least because of his excellent record in Ashes’ final home game against David Warner.

Broad has done well for the last 12 months under Ben Stokes but is still not guaranteed to play in the first test at Edgbaston next week.

He has claimed that he will make the decision on whether to play or not and make sure he is ready to shine in the Ashes at some point this summer.

Broad, who enjoyed talking almost as much as he did playing ahead of these Ashes, not least when he rallied the whole of Australia by telling Mail Sport that the latest Covid-affected Ashes should be void, had yesterday more words for his old sparring partner.

“He said I was a good guy, did you see that?” Broad smiled. “I’ve loved every part of us, I don’t know if it’s a rivalry, but definitely a great fight, and I’ve had to work really hard over a period of time to expose every crack in his armor because he’s so dangerous has been. to me. I have no doubt that he will have thought about how to face 2019.”

There was just time for another little dig at the old foe when Broad was asked who he would like to win the World Test Championship final between Australia and India on Wednesday. “I don’t want to upset any more Aussies,” he insisted. “I would like it to be a hard-fought match where India does very well. Let’s see how Cheteshwar Pujara books himself up nicely and then let’s see a great hundred for Virat Kohli – we all like to see him score points.’

No, Stuart, that won’t upset them….

Stuart Broad spoke at the launch of the partnership between wine merchant Laithwaites and England Cricket. For exclusive offers on great wines this summer, visit laithwaites.co.uk