England vs West Indies 2nd Test: You want to beat anybody as England team, pick Anderson & Broad together, says Graeme Swann

One of the biggest things to look forward to ahead of the 2nd Test between England and West Indies, which begins on Thursday at Old Trafford, will be the team composition of the hosts. England’s loss in the first Test at Southampton has really spiced up the series as the Three Lions will look to strike back in the second match.

Regular captain Joe Root will be back in the playing XI, having missed the opening Test to be along side his wife who gave birth to their second child. All eyes will be on England’s pace attack as there has been a lot of criticism for not playing star performer Stuart Broad in the opening Test.

England went in with James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood and the trio were unable to stop the Windies from chasing a fourth innings target of 200 runs. Broad has been a great wicket-taker for England in Test cricket, second highest after Anderson, and his partnership with Anderson, especially at home, has produced several match winning performances for England.

Broad was England’s best bowler in the Ashes series and leaving him out of the playing XI at Southampton led to a lot of raised eyebrows. Among those who has joined the growing clamour for Broad’s inclusion for the second Test is former England off spinner and commentator Graeme Swann.

“If you want to know how to beat anybody as an England team, you pick Stuart Broad and James Anderson, together. While they are still working, still walking, pick them together for goodness sake,” Swann said during the latest episode of Sony Ten Pit Stop.

“England got their team selection wrong by dropping Stuart Broad. He is a good friend of mine but I won’t pick friends in my team. Remember, there is such a thing called donkey’s work in a Test match. A fast bowler who can bowl 25 overs a day on the sport, never bowl a bad ball, day in day out, same pace. That is Stuart Broad. He is the foil for James Anderson.

Swann went on to say that Archer and Wood are both similar type of bowlers who look to attack batsmen with pace. But such bowlers can only be used in short spells. What England need is a work horse, a role Swann feels Broad fits perfectly.

“England picked up Jofra Archer and Mark Wood who are the same type of bowler, blistering bowlers who come on and bowl 5 overs, super-fast, try and knock people out, 90 mph.

“England picked them both and then they ended up having to do some of the donkey’s work. They are not quick, not as effective. England blunted their whole bowling attack by not playing Stuart Broad.”

He further added that if Broad is picked, he will be under pressure to perform. But he said the weather is going to be overcast and that will suit a seam bowler like Broad.

“Yes, I think there is massive pressure now. They want to pick Stuart Broad now. That puts a lot of pressure on Stuart as well. He normally responds to pressure well. I don’t worry about Stuart. The weather, looking out of my window, is overcast and wet. So it should suit seam bowlers,” Swann said.

Stuart Broad’s England’s second most successful bowler in Test cricket, having picked up 485 wickets in 138 matches.

(The match will be aired live and exclusively on SONY SIX channels from 16th July 2020, 3.30 pm onwards and streamed live on Sony Liv)