NEW DELHI: There have been quite a few former Indian players who on record have said that Stuart Broad will always be remembered for the six sixes he was hit by Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup India-England clash at Durban.
No doubt that was a historic moment. Yuvraj had become the first Indian to do so at the international level. But as said by Chinese philosopher Confucius, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail."
There are bound to be failures in life and there is no human who has not encountered failure. But what matters is how you get up and continue to strive for excellence in life.
This is where Stuart Christopher John Broad excelled. He was not the one who gave up after the Durban bashing. Instead, he went on to become one of the greatest fast bowlers ever to play Test cricket for England.
Yuvraj Singh during his six sixes off Stuart Broad on September 19, 2007 in Durban. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images)On Saturday, Broad announced that he will retire from professional cricket at the end of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.At a press conference later in the evening, Broad was asked about his evolution after those six sixes by Yuvraj.
This is what Broad said in response: "Yeah, it was obviously a pretty tough day. What would I have been: 21, 22? [22] I learnt loads. I pretty much based a whole mental routine through that experience knowing that I was left very short as an international performer in that moment. I'd rushed my preparation. I didn't have any sort of pre-ball routine. I didn't have any focus, particularly, and I started building my 'warrior mode' that I call it after that experience."
On September 19, 2007, Yuvraj, after having a few words with Andrew Flintoff, unleashed his beast mode and smashed Broad all the over the place for six consecutive sixes in the penultimate over of the Indian innings, reaching his fifty off just 12 balls.
"Ultimately, of course, I wish that didn't happen. I think what really helped me was it was a dead rubber, so it didn't feel like I'd knocked us out of the World Cup or something. But I think it steeled me up to make me the competitor I am to this day and has driven me forward a huge amount," Broad added.
Stuart Broad becomes first England bowler to claim 150 Ashes wickets
Yuvraj became the first batsman to hit six sixes in Twenty20 cricket, and the fourth in senior cricket. Garry Sobers and Ravi Shastri did it in first-class matches, Herschelle Gibbs in the 2007 ODI World Cup. India went on to win the World Cup and the legend of MS Dhoni was born.
"You obviously go through massive peaks and troughs and when you look at someone like Stokesy's career, he's done that sort of thing as well. Most players have. But ultimately I think it's that bounce-back ability and that ability to be able to put poor days behind you because certainly one thing over the past whatever - 15, 16 years - you have a lot more bad days than good days in cricket so you have to be able to deal with them to make sure your good days can flourish," Broad concluded his answer to the question.
Broad finishes his career as a proven match-winner for England in a 167-match career that has yielded 602 Test wickets so far -- the fifth-highest tally by any bowler and a four-time Ashes winner.
England's leading bowler in the current Ashes series, Broad became just the fifth man to take 600 Test wickets during last week's rain-marred draw in Manchester.
James Anderson (690) is the only pacer higher than Broad on the all-time list.
Although not a bowler of express pace, Broad's ability to generate bounce and late movement from a 6'5" frame has repeatedly troubled the best batsmen of his generation. But not Yuvraj Singh in that match in Durban.