Stuart Broad addressed the criticism of the England cricket team’s culture after their brutal Ashes defeat.
Stuart Broad has defended the professionalism of England’s Test side in the wake of their Ashes defeat in Australia, dismissing suggestions that a relaxed team environment contributed to the result.
England were beaten 4-1 down under, marking one of their worst performances in the history of the Ashes, and sparking widespread debate about the culture within English cricket.
Stuart Broad defends team discipline after Ashes loss
Speaking on The Love of Cricket podcast, Stuart Broad pushed back on the idea that England’s squad was lacking discipline.
Broad said the players know when to take care of one another and that isolated moments shouldn’t define the team’s professionalism.
He defended the squad against generalisations that often follow high-profile defeats. Broad also criticised the idea that stricter rules would fix the issue.
“There’s no drinking culture,” he said. “I think it’s up to your teammates to get you out of those situations, and that’s when your culture’s really strong.”
“The difference is that international players spend months away from home, under constant pressure. It’s not like football or other sports where you have short breaks between fixtures,” he said.
“I really didn’t like having a 12 o’clock curfew,” Broad said. “If you have a strong culture, you have teammates who make sure everyone gets home at a reasonable hour.”
Stuart Broad believes England must provide answers
Stuart Broad emphasised that the Test side’s current leadership has built an environment where players look out for one another.
While Broad accepted that the squad could have handled some situations differently after the Ashes, he said it didn’t amount to a wider issue or a return to old habits.
Currently, the ECB is looking internally to determine what action needs to be taken to avoid a repeat of the humiliation down under.
Many English players will have a lot to prove, and could use the one-day and T20 formats to earn some more respect after their failure in test cricket.
Read More: Michael Vaughan proposes England emulate Australia’s approach after Ashes disaster
