Ashes: Playing Australia brings out the best in me, says Stuart Broad

New Delhi, July 20
Veteran England cricketer Stuart Broad said playing against Australia brings out the best in him after achieving the remarkable feat of becoming the second fast-bowler to pick 600 wickets in Test cricket on day one of the fourth Ashes Test.

The 37-year-old achieved the historic feat after taking the wicket of Australia's left-handed batter Travis Head. His England team-mate James Anderson, is the only other fast-bowler to have more than 600 Test wickets.

Broad was on 598 at the start of the fourth Test in Manchester when England opted to bowl first and dismissed Usman Khawaja in his first spell to get to 599. He came back to remove Travis Head after the tea break got his Test wicket number 600 when Head was caught by Joe Root on the boundary.

Overall, he is fifth bowler to take 600 scalps in Tests after Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia’s Shane Warne (708), Anderson (688) and India’s Anil Kumble (619).

Broad's dismissal of Head saw him overtake Sir Ian Botham's tally of 148 for the most wickets by an Englishman against Australia in Test cricket.

"I find the Ashes series the most enjoyable to play in. I love the extra pressure, scrutiny and how much the public love it in England and Australia. I have been able to forge great battles and it has been a pleasure to play against those guys.

"Aussies are very competitive people and I think that brings the best out of me. I love that eye-to-eye battle and the Aussies bring that the most out of all teams. I thrive off that," Broad told Sky Sports Cricket.

Broad's 600th Test wicket came 16 years after he made his debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2007, with Chaminda Vaas being his maiden wicket in the format. Till now, he has made 166 Test appearances and has been a member of four Ashes-winning sides.

"I never felt like getting my Test cap was the dream. I wanted to make memories in it, win big series and experience a lot. That was my mindset. I never felt like playing Test cricket was the achievement.

"The number of wickets I have taken is a sign of longevity, I suppose. I love Test cricket, I am addicted to it. I love the grit and competitiveness of it. It has a nice ring to it - getting my 600th wicket at the James Anderson End! But I never really think about what I have done on the field. It's about the memories within the changing room.

"I feel very lucky to have played with some great players in some great teams and I would say the last year has been the most enjoyable of my career," he added.