'What a player!' - Twitter congratulates Stuart Broad after completing 500 Test wickets

Stuart Broad was the man in focus when play began on the final day of the third and last Test between England and the West Indies. The equation was simple. The hosts needed eight wickets to win the series and regain the Wisden Trophy while the Caribbeans had to bat out 98 overs to save the game and retain the trophy. It was almost inevitable that Broad would take his 500th Test wicket on the day the way he has been bowling.

And the pace bowler from Nottingham didn’t disappoint. Rather, it was him who took the first wicket of the day pinning Kraigg Brathwaite in front of the stumps. It was again that line and length which has reaped him wickets throughout the series. The ball stayed a bit low, but credit had to go to Broad for targeting the stumps all the time.

Brathwaite wasn’t committing to the shot, but he missed the ball this time, and the red cherry hit him low on his back leg. The batsman didn’t even consider reviewing, and the hawk-eye confirmed the ball to be hitting the off-stump. The umpire didn’t take time to raise his finger as Stuart Broad entered the coveted 500-wicket club. There was a brimming smile on his face, and his teammates congratulated him as well.

Stuart Broad – The Legend

Stuart Broad was angry, gutted and disappointed after he was left out of the XI in the first Test. Fast forward to the third Test, and he has already taken 15 wickets with the fourth bowling innings still going on. He was itching to be back on the field, and the pacer is back with the bang. 

The 34-year-old is playing his 140th Test match and has picked 500 wickets now at a fantastic average of 28. He also bailed England out of trouble earlier in the first innings with the bat scoring a quick-fire 63 off just 45 balls. This Test has all been about Stuart Broad, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he ends with the career-best figures in a Test.

Meanwhile, soon after he reached the milestone, cricketers across the world and the fans took to Twitter to congratulate him on the special milestone. 

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Such a shame the ground can’t be full for @StuartBroad8 500th test wicket but we are all watching in admiration of such a huge achievement. Incredible 👏🏻 #ENGvWIN #cricket #500club

— Paul Collingwood (@Colly622) July 28, 2020

Congratulations @StuartBroad8 on 500 test wickets great achievement for any bowler 👏

— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) July 28, 2020

500 to Broad. Keeps coming at you all the time…extremely skilful in Seam-bowling…especially for someone who comes from the land of swing bowling. #ENGvsWI

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 28, 2020

What a player and what a man. Incredible achievement! @StuartBroad8 https://t.co/xS63N4a19d

— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) July 28, 2020

Always felt he was going to have a good Test career but I didn’t have 500 Test wickets in the equation !!! Skill,resilience,hard work,stubbornness … And when you think he started out as a Batsman … A great… https://t.co/Rj5euOf7Xw

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 28, 2020

Congrats @StuartBroad8 for joining the 500 club – what an achievement and what a remarkable cricketer he’s been ! #ENGvWIN

— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) July 28, 2020

Seriously impressive achievement! Well done @StuartBroad8 👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/DMrIne8MP4

— Rikki Clarke (@RikkiClarke81) July 28, 2020

Incredible achievement @StuartBroad8. Having form,fitness,skill and desire over such a long period of time is a very special effort. Congratulations #500club #ENGvsWI

— Ajit Agarkar (@imAagarkar) July 28, 2020

Congrats on the 500th @StuartBroad8 …. fantastic achievement! 👏👏🥂

— Alan Butcher (@abutch58) July 28, 2020

Stuart Broad now has 500 wickets in Test cricket, so here's every one he has taken with the red ball on Aussie soil (so far…) #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/LBmrRxwD3R

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 28, 2020

Only three seam bowlers in history had achieved the fabled milestone of 500 Test match wickets.

James Anderson, Glenn McGrath and Courtney Walsh.

Stuart Broad becomes the fourth. pic.twitter.com/jh5t1FwhaZ

— bet365 (@bet365) July 28, 2020

Remarkably, Kraigg Brathwaite was both James Anderson and Stuart Broad's 500th Test wicket.#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/AWFdR5unnt

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 28, 2020

Seems a perfect microcosm of Stuart Broad's career that his 500th Test wicket will always carry mention of Anderson's. #EngvWI

— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 28, 2020

Stuart Broad joins the elite list now. Latest to join the 500 wickets tally after his buddy James Anderson. pic.twitter.com/Gw9C3Yht8F

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 28, 2020