On this day in 2020: Stuart Broad reaches the milestone of 500 Test wickets

Test cricket is the most cherished format for a player, and they want to give their best in it. For a bowler, taking 500 wickets in his Test career is one of the biggest dreams which very few players have achieved. England pacer Stuart Broad reached this landmark on this day last year.

During the last Test match of the series at Old Trafford ground against West Indies, Stuart Broad touched the 500-wicket mark. He became the second England bowler and the 7th bowler in the world to do so. He touched this figure in the 140th match and 258 innings. West Indies all-rounder Craig Brathwaite became his 500th victim, Broad dismissed him lbw.

When the England-West Indies Test series started, the number of Test wickets of Stuart Broad was 485. On July 8, the first Test match of the series was played between England and West Indies in which Broad was not involved. But in both the Test matches of Manchester, he was given a chance, which he took advantage of.

Taking 500 wickets in Test cricket is considered a big milestone. If you go through the record books, you will find that only 7 bowlers have achieved this feat. Muttiah Muralitharan has taken 800, Shane Warne 708, James Anderson 657, Anil Kumble 619, Glenn McGrath 563 and Courtney Walsh 519 wickets. Courtney Walsh of West Indies was the first bowler to take 500 wickets in Tests.

A look at Broad’s Test career

Till now, Broad has played 156 matches in Test cricket, in which he has taken a total of 552 wickets. He surpassed Courtney Walsh’s tally of 519 wickets in the series against New Zealand in 2021. Broad has picked up 18 fifers and three 10-wicket hauls in his career with best bowling figures of 8/15 against Australia. He made his debut in 2007 against Sri Lanka.

Broad is currently aged 36 and he still looks fit enough to play for another two-three years. It will be interesting to see if can touch the milestone of 600 wickets in the longest format. Only James Anderson has been able to touch that figure among fast bowlers.