Stuart Broad to retire from cricket following the Ashes

The 37-year-old made the announcement at stumps on day three of the final Test against Australia at the Kia Oval.

Broad has taken 602 wickets in 167 Tests, making him the second most successful paceman in Test history behind team-mate James Anderson.

“Tomorrow or Monday will be my last game of cricket,” he told Sky Sports.

“It’s been a wonderful ride, a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and England badge as much as I have.

“It’s been a wonderful series to be part of and I’ve always wanted to finish at the top. This series just feels like it’s been one of the most enjoyable and entertaining that I’ve been part of.”

Asked when he had made his decision, Broad said: “About 8.30 last night. I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks. England versus Australia has always been the pinnacle for me.

“I’ve loved the battles with Australia that have come my way personally and the team’s way. I’ve got a love affair with Ashes cricket and I wanted my last game to be Ashes cricket.

“I told Stokesy (Ben Stokes) last night and the changing room this morning and it just felt the right time. I feel content with everything I’ve achieved in the game.

“It feels like my changing room and I wanted to walk away playing with a group of players I love to bits.”

'A true champion'

Former England team-mate Sir Alastair Cook paid tribute to Broad on BBC’s Test Match Special.

“I’m a bit emotional and a bit surprised, but if you look at the schedule for Stuart Broad, you have India away, Sri Lanka and West Indies next summer, no offence to those sides but Broad is about big moments,” Cook explained.

“So for him to get through to another big moment is probably another two-and-a-half years.

“The one player to deliver, alongside Ben Stokes, in the big moments is Stuart Broad and what a feeling that must be for a player.”

Broad’s idol Glenn McGrath hailed the England seamer as a “true champion”.

McGrath told BBC’s Test Match Special: “It is a big decision but you come to a time when you know.

“He loves the big moments, he loves the pressure and that is the sign of a true champion.

“Going out on your own terms is special as well. He has been incredible for England for a long, long time.”

'Undeniably great'

Former England captain Mike Atherton described Broad as an “undeniably great cricketer”.

Atherton told Sky Sports: “Great is an overused word sometimes in the commentary box but Stuart is an undeniably great cricketer for England.

“167 games, 602 wickets, and that performance of eight for 15 against Australia on a home ground the absolutely defining performance of his career.”

Nasser Hussain, another former England captain, hailed Broad’s competitive spirit and his hunger for the battle.

“Very rarely does a bowler or a cricketer tick nearly every box,” Hussain told Sky Sports.

“As a captain you do want that, especially in an Ashes battle when you say to people: “Do you really want to be out in the cauldron?”

“Some people like it and then they shy away from it. They want a taste of it but then they don’t want anymore because they don’t want that pressure.

“Stuart’s great attribute is that he wants to be in that cauldron. He wants to be in that pressure, he enjoys that pressure, and he may miss that pressure in the long run.”

Six of Broad's best

Eight for 15, v Australia, Trent Bridge 2015

Undoubtedly Broad’s finest hour, this was perhaps among the most memorable feats in Ashes history. Bowling unchanged from the pavilion end on his home ground, Broad routed Australia almost single-handedly in the space of 57 deliveries. He had Chris Rogers caught by Alastair Cook at slip with his third ball, and doubled up when Steve Smith also fell in his first over. Broad finished with figures of 9.3-5-15-8, and Australia were blown away for 60 all out in 18.3 overs – en route to defeat by an innings and 78 runs in under three days, losing the Ashes in the process.

Hat-trick hero, 2011 and 2014

Broad is the only Englishman with two Test hat-tricks to his name. His first came against India, 12 years ago and again on his home ground in Nottingham. England were thoroughly dominant all summer, on their way to number one in the world under Andrew Strauss, and Broad did his bit when he had MS Dhoni flashing an attempted drive to second slip and Harbhajan Singh lbw despite an inside-edge in India’s pre-DRS days, before bowling Praveen Kumar. Broad repeated the dose three years later, this time against Sri Lanka at Headingley where the successive scalps of Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal and Shaminda Eranga were not enough to stop England losing the match and series.

Six for 17, v South Africa, Johannesburg 2016

This was another unstoppable Broad special. England had eked out a 10-run first-innings lead at the Wanderers, but South Africa’s openers Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl appeared set to lay a decent foundation second time round – until Broad seized the moment again. In under 10 overs, he had the first five wickets. It was he too who completed the rout when he had Faf du Plessis last out, caught-and-bowled, as South Africa mustered just 83. England went on to win by seven wickets inside three days, wrapping up the series with a match to spare.

Five for 71 & six for 50, v Australia, Chester-le-Street 2013

The Ashes were again in Broad’s sights, and he once more made no mistake. His five first-innings wickets restricted Australia to a 32-run lead. In the second innings, the tourists appeared on track to halve the series deficit to 2-1 with one to play when they reached 168 for two in pursuit of 299. Broad had other ideas, though, finishing with six for 50 as Michael Clarke’s men lost their last eight wickets for 56 – and England clinched a series win.

Six for 31 & four for 36, v West Indies, Old Trafford 2020

A brilliant outing, which saw Broad seal player of the match, player of the series, take a 10-wicket match haul and become just the seventh bowler in history to claim 500 Test scalps. Broad’s name was all over this encounter, even chipping in 62 with the bat for good measure. After the match he made it clear the landmark was not a parting gift to English cricket and he has lived up to his word, going strong three years down the line.

Five for 37, v Australia, The Oval 2009

A young Broad’s calling card to the world game. With the Ashes on the line he elbowed aside more established names such as Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison to take matters into his hands. From 73 without loss, he ran a wrecking ball through the Australian batting order in a devastating session as they slipped to 160 all out. They never reclaimed the momentum and the urn came home.