Yuvraj pays glorious tribute to 'real legend' Broad after retirement

Stuart Broad stunned the cricket fraternity on Saturday when he announced his retirement from international cricket. The legendary English pacer drew curtains to a 17-year career, with the fifth Ashes Test being his final appearance for the side. 

Over the years, Broad became one of the key players in the English Test team and during the ongoing Ashes series, became the only fifth bowler – after Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and teammate James Anderson – to take over 600 wickets in the longest format.

Until 2016, Broad had also been a part of England's red-ball setup and while he he did enjoy individual success in coloured clothing, the English pacer was also at the receiving end of one of the most explosive batting performances in T20Is. In 2007 T20 World Cup, Broad made an infamous record of becoming the first player to concede six sixes in an over in T20Is, as India's Yuvraj Singh hammered him all around the ground.

The English pacer was 21 at the time, and admitted that it was one of the experiences that helped change his mindset, and eventually, his game. 17 years later, as Broad retires as an English legend, he received a tribute from Yuvraj, who took to his official Twitter profile to congratulate the pacer on a stellar international career.

"Take a bow @StuartBroad8. Congratulations on an incredible Test career, one of the finest and most feared red ball bowlers, and a real legend! Your journey and determination have been super inspiring. Good luck for the next leg Broady!" Yuvraj wrote.

Interestingly, after Broad announced his retirement on Saturday, he was also asked about how the six-sixes over against Yuvraj Singh impacted his game. During a press conference following the end of third day's play, Broad said, "I started building my 'warrior mode' that I call it after that experience. Ultimately, I wish that didn't happen. What really helped me that it was a dead rubber, so I didn't feel like I'd knocked us out of the World Cup. 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."

Yuvraj, who was one of the key members of the Indian team that time, went on to play a major role in the side's triump in the 2007 edition. He brought an end to his brilliant international career in 2019, representing the side in 304 ODIs, 58 T20Is and 40 Tests.