Legendary pacer Stuart Broad recently revealed his combined playing XI from the gripping five-Test series between India and England, surprising many by leaving out Shubman Gill, the series’ second-highest run-scorer. Speaking on the ‘For The Love of Cricket’ podcast alongside Jos Buttler, Broad shared his thoughts on the players who made the biggest impact throughout the fiercely competitive series that ended in a 2-2 draw.
Broad chose the Indian pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers, bypassing England’s top-order batsmen. Rahul was particularly impressive, scoring 532 runs and stepping up in Rohit Sharma’s absence, while Jaiswal maintained solid performances throughout. Although England’s Alex Lees played a crucial century during the Headingley Test, his inconsistency afterward made Broad favor the Indian openers. The middle order featured England’s Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Stokes. Pope earned his spot over Indian batsmen like Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair, thanks to more consistent contributions.
Broad’s final XI focused on players who consistently influenced matches rather than just accumulated runs, which explained the surprising snub of Gill. His decision left Jos Buttler visibly stunned, highlighting the tough choices Broad had to make while balancing form, impact, and consistency in this closely fought series.
