Ashes 2023: Truth Is I Have Always Found It Hard Bowling To David Warner, Reveals Stuart Broad

Ashes 2023: Truth Is I Have Always Found It Hard Bowling To David Warner, Reveals Stuart Broad (Image Source: Google)

Though Stuart Broad has dismissed David Warner 17 times in Test cricket, the veteran England fast-bowler feels that dominating in the battle against the left-handed opener hasn't been as easy as it looks.

In the third Ashes Test at Headingley, Broad got Warner out in both innings, taking the tally of him being dismissed by the pacer thrice in the series. The 37-year-old Broad had earlier dismissed Warner seven times in the 2019 Ashes series in England.

"A video was doing the rounds on social media last week showing all 17 of my Test dismissals of David Warner, including the two at Headingley. It explained the journey, because the early ones are all from over the wicket, and the later ones from round the wicket," wrote Broad in his column for Daily Mail on Sunday.

Broad also recalled how Ottis Gibson, who was serving as England's bowling coach during the 2015 Ashes, guided him to find a way to restrict left-handers like Warner from scoring freely against him.

"He used to sit back against me and hit me through the off side, and before the 2015 Ashes our bowling coach Ottis Gibson pointed out that my average was much higher against left-handers. The Aussie team that season was full of lefties, and Ottis said I’d be out of the team if I didn’t find a way to bowl to them," the pacer wrote further.

"I spent four months practising round the wicket. I wanted to bring the stumps into play, while still threatening the outside edge. By the time I got to Trent Bridge eight years ago I bowled round the wicket all the time -- and picked up eight for 15.

The truth is I've always found it difficult bowling to Davey, and I still do. By going round the wicket I’ve tried to minimise the width he loves outside off stump, but also bowl a fuller length and make him play at 80 to 85 percent of deliveries," concluded Broad.

Australia are currently leading five-game Ashes 2-1, with the fourth Test starting on July 19 at Old Trafford, Manchester.