England skipper Joe Root on Tuesday (July 28) hailed the pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, saying his team should consider it a "privilege" to share the dressing room with the country's two highest Test wicket-takers.
Broad became only the second England bowler after Anderson to claim 500 Test scalps when he dismissed West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite on the final day of the third Test at Old Trafford.
See Also: Stuart Broad completes 500 Test wickets; cricket fraternity lauds his achievement
Only the seventh bowler in cricket history to achieve the milestone of 500 Test wickets, Broad finished the third Test with 10 wickets to his name as England thrashed West Indies by 269 runs to complete a 2-1 series win and regain the Wisden Trophy.
"We're looking at two of England's best bowlers of all time. To be playing in the same team as both of them - we've got to understand how lucky we are to be watching them go about their business,” Root quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“Playing alongside them, seeing them operate day in, day out - it couldn't be a better place for a young fast bowler to come in and learn their trade. It's a real privilege to play alongside both Jimmy and Stuart and hopefully that's going to happen for a lot longer as well," he added.
After being dropped from the series opener at the Ageas Bowl, Stuart Broad was left gutted. But the right-arm speedster made a roaring comeback in second Test, taking 6 wickets in the game to script England’s series-levelling 113-run victory.
"For him to come back into the team and have such an impact is testament to how good a player he's been for England over such a long period of time," Root said.
"It sums Stuart up, he seems to get on those hot streaks and have a real impact in games and I'm really pleased for him to get to that milestone - 500 Test wickets is a phenomenal achievement.
"He's the sort of guy that really grabs a game and wrestles it in your favour. He wants to be part of those big occasions and he wants to take the ball when you're up against it.
"There are so many different occasions he's done that - any number of Ashes series, the match-winning spell against South Africa at Johannesburg (in 2016), here in this series and many more," he further remarked.
