ENG vs WI | No guarantee Stuart Broad will return to side for second Test, says Chris Silverwood

Ben Stokes’ first Test as the captain of the English side was marred by controversy, as the omission of veteran pacer Stuart Broad became the hot topic of discussion amongst experts. Broad, a veteran of 485 Test wickets and England’s highest wicket-taker in Tests in 2019, was dropped in favour of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, but the move did not go down too well for England, especially in the first innings of the first Test where the duo combinedly accounted for figures of 1/144. On the back of his omission, Broad, too, gave a fiery interview to Sky Sports, one that has since gone viral and has been acknowledged by Stokes himself.

The debacle at the Ageas Bowl, many believed, opened the door for Broad to return to the side, but according to head coach Chris Silverwood, that just might not be the case. Silverwood stated that there are no guarantees that Broad would return to the side and added that ‘everything will be considered’ before taking a call on the final XI that will take the field at Old Trafford.

“Nothing is a given in this team, as we have seen, and people will be playing for their spots. Everything will be considered,” Silverwood was quoted as saying by News18.

Both England and West Indies face a quick turnaround, given that there’s only a three-day break between the first and the second Test, and the England head coach added that the fitness of players will be thoroughly assessed over the coming days. The 45-year-old, however, conceded that there were a few stiff bodies.

“We have one or two stiff bodies, as you can imagine,” Silverwood said. "I have been down to see the guys already but they all seem to have come through well.

“I mean, we will probably know more after training tomorrow. We will put them through their paces and see where they are at.”

The England players will travel to Manchester on Monday, but only after giving a Covid-19 Test. Joe Root, who missed the first Test due to paternity leave, will take charge of the team for the second Test that will be played at Old Trafford from July 16.