'Extremely skillful': Aakash Chopra lauds Broad as he completes his 500th Test scalp

Aakash Chopra came forward to hail Stuart Broad after his registered his 500th Test scalp on the final day of the series-deciding Test match at the Old Trafford in Manchester.  The Test match belonged to Broad as he starred with both bat as well as the ball. He had scored an unbeaten half-century in the first innings and then came back to register a six-wicket haul to put the hosts in the driver's seat. 

'Extremely skilful': Aakash Chopra

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Chopra described Broad as an extremely skilful seam bowler and then mentioned that the tall pacer keeps coming at you (batsmen) all the time.

Broad picks up his 500th Test scalp

Stuart Broad became the seventh bowler in the history of the game to register 500 scalps in red-ball cricket on Day 5 of the series-deciding third Test match at the Old Trafford in Manchester. He achieved this feat after having dismissed Kraig Brathwaite. Broad achieved this feat in his 140th Test appearance.

Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (709), Anil Kumble (619), James Anderson (589), Glenn McGrath (563) and, Courtney Walsh (519) are the bowlers who have achieved this feat in the longest format. 

The moment of glory

It happened in the 14th over of Windies' second innings. On the third ball of that over, the tall pacer had bowled a fuller delivery outside off stump as it kept low after pitching. Brathwaite looked to defend the ball but was rapped on the pads as the hosts started appealing straightaway.

The on-field umpire had no hesitation in raising his finger as the replays showed that the ball would have hit the wickets. There were no heated or aggressive celebrations from Stuart as all he did was raise both his arms in delight. 

Co-incidentally, Broad's new-ball partner Anderson had also accounted for Kraig Brathwaite to complete 500 Test wickets three years ago. 

READ: Stuart Broad Picks Up 500th Test Scalp As England Close In On Series Win Against Windies