'Blimey, this chap can bowl’ - Stuart Broad’s father reveals moment he realized son's immense potential

Veteran English pacer Stuart Broad recently shook the world by announcing that he will be retiring from cricket after the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Ashes. Over the years, Broad has established himself as one of the greatest-ever pacers to represent England in the longest format. 

In the 166 Test matches that he has played in his career, Broad has taken exactly 600 Test wickets, solidifying himself as one of the most feared pacers in the world. However, it was not always easy for the 37-year-old. Recently, Broad’s father, Chris Broad, came forward to reveal that he did not have faith in the pacer’s ability in the early years. 

Chris Broad came up and thanked Leicestershire for seeing the potential in his son and opined that he thought that Broad would not even reach the first-class level. He stated that he was looking at his batting, and Leicestershire saw his potential as a bowler.

"Thank you to Leicestershire for seeing the ability of him as a bowler because I didn’t see that, and I was looking at his batting. and I thought, well, I don’t really think he’s going to make it in first-class cricket as a batsman, but they saw him as a bowler and gave him the opportunity." Chris Broad told BBC TMS.

This chap can bowl: Chris Broad

Furthermore, Chris Broad also revealed the exact moment he realized that his son was a special player. Reflecting on a game between Leicestershire and Notts, Broad was up against Stephen Fleming, and when the young pacer had even Fleming beat, that is when Chris Broad realized that Stuart was something special.

"I went to watch a T20 game between Leicestershire and Notts at Grace Road, and Stephen Fleming was the opening batter and captain for Notts at the same time. Stuart bowled two or three overs at Stephen Fleming, and he couldn’t get the ball off the square in a T20 game, and I thought then blimey, this chap can bowl," Chris Broad added..