Broad returns a stronger man

Stuart Broad has overcome hurdles already in his career, says Andrew Strauss, who welcomes the seamer back in Cape Town

Andrew Strauss believes Stuart Broad has taken significant strides on the road to becoming a “complete cricketer”.

Broad is expected to be fit again in time for today’s pivotal one-day international against South Africa at Newlands, having recovered from a shoulder injury.

The hosts have already suggested that they may target the seamer in his first match back, but the England captain is convinced Broad will have what it takes to rise to the occasion.

Broad himself recently conceded he endured a learning curve when South Africa toured England last year.

But he has since hit back with a man-of-the-match haul to help clinch the Ashes at the Brit Oval three months ago, and with three wickets against South Africa in the Champions Trophy this autumn.

As England seek to go 2-0 up today, with only two more matches to play, Strauss is confident Broad is a much-improved performer.

“He’s still a young man and he got thrust into the England team very early in his career,” said the captain.

“I’m a big believer that everyone needs to go through a tough patch, in order to become a complete cricketer.

“He had a little bit of a time there, in the last series against South Africa, where he didn’t bowl quite as well as he’d like to. But I think he’s revelling in being one of the senior bowlers now.”

The company 23-year-old Broad has kept can only have helped.

“At that stage, we had the likes of (Steve) Harmison and (Andrew) Flintoff around, and I think that’s improved both his performances and his thinking,” added Strauss.

“I have every confidence he’s going to make a real mark on this tour.”

In yesterday’s press conference Strauss also confirmed that for the second year running, it seems likely that England players will feature in the Indian Premier League next spring.

Strauss believes the five ECB-contracted players in last year's IPL, including Kevin Pietersen, "gained a lot" from the experience

Last year, five ECB-contracted players, along with Dimitri Mascarenhas and Graham Napier, were signed up by IPL franchises for the tournament in South Africa.

The captain voiced no objections to their participation in the 2010 edition, but is keen that the ECB consider the full implications of a player fitting in a spell in India after a tour of Bangladesh and just before the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

“By the looks of things, our players may be made available for a certain proportion of the IPL,” Strauss noted.

“The guys who went there last time felt they gained a lot from it.

“We still have to be conscious of keeping people fresh and motivated. But at this stage, I’ve got no problems with people playing in the IPL.

“You’ve probably got to get a lot closer to the time before you can judge whether it is the right thing to do for certain individuals.”

Strauss has no doubt an IPL stint can be advantageous, and not just in financial terms.

“You wouldn’t hold it against anyone for going, because it is a great opportunity,” he said.

“There are huge benefits to playing in that tournament, especially with a World Twenty20 competition following on the back of it.

“But everything in life is a balancing act, and the ECB will come to a decision on what they think is a fair amount of time for our players to be playing.

“We just need to be sensible about how much we play and what are the best times to play and best times to rest.”

Next year’s IPL is due to start on March 12, with the final scheduled for April 25.