HIGHLIGHTS

• Stuart Broad picked up a training injury in the lead up to the 2nd Test
• The calf injury ruled Broad out of the remainder of the 5-Test series
• Broad said he is looking to return to international action at Ashes later this year

Premier England pacer Stuart Broad said on Thursday that he is gutted to miss the remainder of the 5-match Test series against India. Broad was ruled out of the series after he picked up a calf injury during training in the lead up to the 2nd Test, starting August 12 at Lord’s in London.

Stuart Broad shed light on how he picked up the calf injury and highlighted how an innocuous training session has resulted in him missing the entire English summer. Broad also joked that he had suspected his goof friend and fellow fast bower, James Anderson of whipping him with a rope during the training session when he felt pain in his calf muscle.

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“Things can change so quickly. A moment before training all smiles then during the warm up, I jumped a hurdle, landed a bit awkwardly on my right ankle then the next step felt like I’d been whipped by a rope as hard as you can imagine on the back of my leg. I actually turned to @jimmya9 & asked why he whipped me! but when I realised he was no where near me I knew I was in trouble,” Broad wrote on Instagram.

Not going to rush recovery: Broad

Broad said he is not going to rush his recovery and focus will be on the Ashes, which will be held in Australia in December-January.

“Scans say grade 3 calf. All so innocuous. Season over & gutted to miss this India Test Series but a huge focus on Australia now. Going to take my time, no rush, baby steps & be the fittest I can be heading out there. Big focus in my brain,” Broad added.

England are in danger of missing out both Broad and Anderson for the first time in a home Test since 2012 as the latter was reported to have a stiff quad during training on the eve of the Lord’s Test. Mark Wood is likely to replace Stuart Broad while Saqib Mahmood has been called in as cover.

On the other hand, India will be without all-rounder Shardul Thakur due to a hamstring niggle. It remains to be seen if India will continue with the 4-1 combination as R Ashwin has come into contention to replace Thakur. The senior off-spinner did not feature in the first Test in Nottingham which ended in a draw after multiple rain interruptions last week.