Stuart Broad issues Ashes warning to Australia and reacts to Jofra Archer injury

Stuart Broad has told Australia that England’s Bazball approach is going nowhere ahead of ‘the most intriguing’ Ashes series since 2005.

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum are looking to mastermind an Ashes victory this summer, with the five-match Test series starting on June 16 at Edgbaston.

Since Stokes and McCullum joined forces in May 2022, England have won 10 from 12 Tests and received plaudits for their attacking style of play.

It has been suggested that England may need to rein in their aggression as they look to reclaim the Ashes against an Australia side that boasts some of the best bowlers in the world.

But Broad says the team have ‘outstanding belief’ following a hugely successful 12 months and will ‘just go even harder’ if they are bowled out cheaply during the Ashes.

‘We are about to embark on what is going to be the most intriguing series between England and Australia since 2005,’ Broad told the Daily Mail.

‘Australia have got a great bowling attack and some of the best batters in the world; we are on the ultimate high as a team. We have outstanding belief.

‘Australia will probably think that we can’t play the way we have done for the past 12 months against them.

‘But don’t forget that we have done it to some high quality bowlers in the recent past like New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Tim Southee; the Indian pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami; Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, of South Africa.

‘There is no doubt that if we get bowled out cheaply, we will just go even harder the next time. That has been a hallmark of this side.

‘Think back to last year, when we were on the ropes a few times, but kept coming back, refusing to be knocked down. Someone always got us out of trouble.

‘We are a confident team with great belief, and when you take the draw out of your mind, only think about winning, imagine how far that can take you.

‘We have imagined and continue to imagine. I am thankful to England coach Brendon McCullum for creating the environment he has.’

Australia are looking to retain the Ashes following an empathic 4-0 win on home soil in the last series.

One player who will not be involved for England this summer is fast bowler Jofra Archer, who has suffered a recurrence of the stress fracture in his right elbow.

Archer burst onto the scene in 2019 when he helped England win the World Cup and starred in the drawn Ashes series, but his future in the game is unclear after a string of back and elbow issues.

‘I could’ve cried for Jofra Archer when I saw the news that he would miss the entire home summer with his elbow injury,’ Broad added.

‘I’d seen that he’d come back from the Indian Premier League and when I chatted to Ben Stokes, he was pretty sure he’d be okay. It’s such a shame because as cricket fans and team-mates we all love seeing Jofra at his best.

‘His aim now must be to try to get fit for the 50-over World Cup in October and do his job for England in white-ball cricket.’

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