Stuart Broad confident of maintaining new-ball partnership with James Anderson ahead of busy Test schedule

Speaking to The Independent, Broad backs his England teammate to fight of injury concerns and deliver this summer

Stuart Broad and James Anderson ahead of an England nets session (Getty)

Stuart Broad is confident he can maintain his new-ball partnership with James Anderson until the end of next winter’s Ashes series in Australia.

Broad and Anderson are their country’s most prolific seam-bowling pairing with 659 wickets in the 85 Tests they have played together.

Both have been troubled by injury in recent weeks but will lead England’s attack in the first Investec Test of the summer against South Africa at Lord’s starting on Thursday.

It’s the beginning of a run of 12 Tests in the next six months for England up until the end of the Ashes in January.

Whether or not Broad, recovered from a lacerated fat pad in his left heel, and Anderson, who has overcome a groin injury, will both be there at the end of that brutal schedule remains open to debate.

At 31, Broad is likely to still be standing come the conclusion of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney.

Yet there are significant question marks over Anderson, who turns 35 later this month, given the string of injuries that have seen him miss eight of the past 23 Tests.

Asked how long he could continue playing alongside England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, Broad said: “I don’t know. That’s on Jimmy, really, because I want to keep going for a while.

Broad and Anderson are England's most prolific seam-bowling pairing (Reuters)

“I know Jimmy’s got a huge target of winning the Ashes in Australia, and I know he’s working extremely hard to be in top shape for next January. He looks fit, fresh, and he’s not bowled a huge amount of overs this summer.

“He’s had a relatively frustrating 18 months, I think. He’s had a couple of little niggles here and there that have annoyed him. But he’s been training extremely hard to get ready for what is a really big schedule. I can’t even think how many Test matches we’ve got – it’s a lot of cricket.”

There were questions over whether Anderson would ever play international cricket again when he missed England’s previous Test against India at Chennai last December with what was termed “body soreness”.

There are question marks over Anderson's fitness (Getty)

However, Broad said: “Having spent a lot of time with him, I know how much he loves cricket and he wants to continue as long as he possibly can.

“I certainly never thought that was the end of Jimmy in India. I know that his work ethic to get back into great shape has paid off because he looks fit and hopefully he can have a really big impact against South Africa.”

England will hope that is the case in Joe Root’s opening series as captain.

These four Tests are the first for the team in more than six months following their 4-0 drubbing in India last winter, a result that led to Alastair Cook stepping down from the captaincy.

Yet, according to Broad, there is a sense of optimism coursing through the squad.

Broad is confident Root can open up a new era for England (Getty)

“It does feel like a new era with Joe as captain,” he added. “With the change of leadership it’s an obvious fresh start. There’s a buzz around.”

England have, in the words of Cook when he stood down as captain in February, “stagnated” in Test cricket since winning in South Africa 18 months ago.

Root has the chance to offer the team a new direction. But what kind of captain will he be?

“He’s a very positive player and I’m sure he’ll want his team to go down that route as well,” said Broad. “I’d expect his authority to be stamped on the team pretty quickly.

“I think he’ll really enjoy the experience. I know there’s been a lot of talk about whether it will affect his batting but he’s one of the best players in the world for a reason and that’s because he can really concentrate on whatever he’s doing at a certain time.

Broad is ready for a summer of action (Getty)

“You see that with the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, who have been able to captain but still do their role for the team.”

Broad also referenced Australian great Steve Waugh when asked what kind of dressing-room culture Root is likely to foster.

“I don’t think Joe’s going to be one of those people who stands up in the changing room speaking all the time, that’s not naturally him so he won’t lead in that way,” he said.

“Steve Waugh mentioned to Cooky once that he was captain of a very successful team but he didn’t actually have to say that much because he had Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne.

“So I think Joe will actively try and get guys to take responsibility and get us to communicate a lot because that’s when you do move quickly as a team.”

Broad in training during an England nets session (Getty)

As for South Africa, Broad is expecting a tough fight despite the absence of AB De Villiers, missing this series through choice, and captain Faf Du Plessis, who will not return home from the birth of his first child in time for Lord’s.

“South Africa’s record is plain to see in England isn’t it? They’ve won their last two series here. We know we’ve got a big battle on our hands.”

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