James Anderson, a veteran seamer for England, spoke up for Stuart Broad on Day 2 of the fifth Test against India at Edgbaston on Saturday, July 2. On that day, Broad got a bad reputation. He thought Broad was unlucky because one of Jasprit Bumrah‘s top edges could have hit the fielder.
Broad had a terrible day with the ball. At the end of the Indian innings, he gave up 35 runs in one over. He was hit by Bumrah’s bat for 29 runs, and extra six runs in the form of byes. In the end, it cost more than any other over in Test cricket history.
Anderson, who got his 30th five-wicket haul in a Test match, said that Broad’s over wouldn’t have been talked about if one of those top-edges had landed in the fielder’s hands and that he was unlucky.
What did James Anderson say about Stuart Broad?
According to a quote from ESPN Cricinfo, the right-arm seamer said:
“It’s just one of those things, though. One of those top edges goes straight to hand on another day. No one talks about the over if that gets taken. I thought it was kind of unfortunate. There are a lot of top edges and a few good shots, but Ben wanted Broady to go with this plan. Broady didn’t give up, and if Stuart had been lucky on another day, he probably would have won.”
Anderson was notable because he shared the record for giving up the most runs in an over in Test cricket. In the 2013-14 Ashes series, George Bailey beat the 39-year-old in Perth when the Australian smashed 28 runs. Robin Peterson and Joe Root are the other two people who have done this before.
India scored an impressive 416 thanks to Rishabh Pant’s and Ravindra Jadeja’s centuries and Bumrah’s quickfire 31*. (16). Later, Bumrah took three top-order wickets, and when the day was over, the hosts were still behind by 332 runs, at 84-5.
