Broad: I was right to avoid IPL

Broad: I was right to avoid IPL

Stuart Broad's decision to turn down the riches of the Indian Premier League were vindicated with Ashes glory.

England all-rounder Broad has been tipped to rake in £2million in commercial deals on the back of his performances in the npower series victory over Australia.

The spin-offs of the 2-1 success appear deserved, however, after Broad showed his commitment to preparing for an Ashes summer by taking three weeks off rather than put himself forward for IPL auction.

"The reason I didn't go was to focus on the Ashes and that really worked out for me," said Broad, who set up England's fifth Test win with a five-wicket haul at the Oval.

"I managed to play in all five Tests and make useful contributions to us winning so that decision was certainly worthwhile.

"The IPL will sometime in my career help me develop as a Twenty20 cricketer, it's a great competition and a great spectacle.

"But it all depends on how I and my body are feeling, and if anyone wants me.

"To be honest I haven't looked any further than packing my bags for Belfast, so I don't know what will happen in the next year."

Reality hits home following the frenzied media attention which accompanied Sunday evening's success when half-a-dozen of England's Oval victors fly from Manchester this afternoon ahead of Thursday's one-day international against Ireland.

If that is a sobering thought following the euphoric celebrations, so is the fact that midway through the Test campaign against Australia, there were calls for Broad to make way given a lack of productivity with the ball.

"I never think about that sort of stuff too much, it's out of my hands," Broad insisted.

"I wasn't happy with how I was bowling, I wasn't hitting the lengths I wanted consistently.

"Halfway through the Edgbaston Test I sat down with Ottis Gibson and talked about why I wasn't hitting lengths.

"Maybe I was trying to do too many things, searching for wickets too much.

"When you do that against world-class players they just pick you off and that was happening to me.

"I just tried to get into the mindset I had at Leicestershire when I first started playing the game. I used to think of nothing but trying to hit the top of off-stump.

"I just cleared my mind, got some clarity in my role and that helped me.

"I have searched for wickets too much at times and that is an easy trap to fall into when you are not getting wickets.

"You do start to question yourself and that's when you start going for runs."


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