Stuart Broad, England’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said that he leave his ‘heart and soul’ on the field when he faces New Zealand at the iconic Lord’s Stadium next week. The two sides are set to play a three-match series, starting June 2. 

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Broad and the country’s leading wicket-taler in the format, James Anderson, were recalled in the Test squad against New Zealand. The two were left out of the three-match tour of the West Indies, which Joe Root and co lost 1-0. England have won one out of their last 17 Tests. Their loss in the Caribbean, which followed a 4-0 Ashes defeat, saw the management change people at key roles. Now, Brendan McCullum is the new coach and Ben Stokes has replaced Joe Root as skipper. 

England are placed on the ninth rung of the World Test Championship table. For them to make it to the final next year, any loss from now will hurt. New Zealand will be Stokes and McCullum’s first assignment. 

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Stuart Broad, at 35, has taken 537 wickets in 152 Tests. He was dropped controversially after the Ashes. When asked if the sub had left any scars, the pacer said, “Not at all, I’m fine… I’m going in with the mindset to attack each week and leave my heart and soul on the field. I’m taking my mindset back to as though I’ve played zero Test cricket and have zero experience. You don’t look too far ahead when you make your Test debut, you’re just excited to play the next game.”

“I just want to feel fresh and attack the strategy at Lord’s, leave my heart and soul on this field and move on.”

New Zealand won the last cycle of the World Test Championship after beating India at the Lord’s. They are sixth in this year’s standings. Ben Stokes’ men play India for one Test match in July before hosting South Africa. 

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“I’ve gone away completely from looking at what’s going to happen in August or November. I can’t control that, it’s too far away. I’m just going to give everything for one week of the Test match, try and win that week, learn from it and move on to the next one. That could be a really good mindset for the team as well, because if we start looking and planning too far ahead you can lose that focus on what is right in front of you. Right now we have the World Test champions at our home,” Broad added.