Kevin Pietersen discusses Stuart Broad's calf injury
Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the ongoing Test series against India after a tear in his calf muscle. Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen spoke about the implications of such injuries, one of which might have ended his career.
Pietersen suffered a calf injury during the 2016 IPL while representing the Rising Pune Supergiants. He was ruled out of the entire season after being injured against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Much like Broad, Pieterson was also diagnosed with a tear in his calf muscle and, as a result, had to undergo surgery and rehab. He was ruled out for seven months following the injury. Pietersen said on Sky Sports Cricket:
"When your calves go, it was the end of me and I wasn’t a bowler. How much does it play on your mind as a bowler? Your body has to be almost perfect, I know you play with injuries all the time but the calf is a problem."
Former England pacer Alex Tudor also admitted that injuries to the calf muscle are an area of concern. He also brought up the fact that Broad is not a young pacer anymore and recovering from injuries gets tougher with age. Tudor said:
"The calf is a problem and he’s not getting any younger. He’s a fit guy but they’re not playing a lot of cricket at the moment, especially if you’re only playing one format of the game."
Stuart Broad was ruled out of the Lord's Test and subsequently for the entire tour after the results of the scans were revealed.
Stuart Broad targets Ashes 2021 for his comeback
While there is a lot of uncertainty about when the 2021 Ashes will be staged, Stuart Broad expects to recover in time to partake in the high-octane series.
Broad revealed that he sustained a Grade 3 tear in his calf and his sole focus lies on returning to the squad for the Ashes in Australia later this year. England roped in Saqib Mahmood as cover for Broad. Meanwhile, fellow speedster Mark Wood replaced the experienced pacer in the playing eleven at Lord's.