Stuart Broad knocks back Michael Vaughan suggestion that he and James Anderson should no longer play together

Between them, Anderson and Broad have taken 1,042 Test wickets, with Broad just 33 away from joining Anderson, Test cricket’s most top wicket-taking seamer, in reaching 500 scalps

Stuart Broad has laughed off Michael Vaughan’s suggestion that he and James Anderson should no longer be paired together in Test cricket.

Former England captain Vaughan, who skippered both seamers during his own career, argued at the conclusion of this summer’s Ashes series that the duo had to be “realistic” about their chances of making it through to the next meeting with Australia in 2021/22.

“I don't think it is right both of them play now,” Vaughan said. “It might be that Broad plays one series and Anderson plays one series.

“They are not going to like it, but they are at that stage of their careers where England are going to have to manage the combination very smartly.”

Between them, Anderson and Broad have taken 1,042 Test wickets, with Broad just 33 away from joining Anderson, Test cricket’s most top wicket-taking seamer, in reaching 500 scalps.

Writing in a Mail on Sunday column, Broad said of Vaughan’s claim: “For now, Jimmy and I are apart but I expect us to be reunited on the tour of South Africa.

“Let's just say that Michael Vaughan's suggestion that we should no longer play alongside one another in England Tests has given us some laughs. It's a load of nonsense.”

^{Stuart Broad and James Anderson both played Test cricket under Michael Vaughan's captaincy}

Anderson has been left out of England’s touring party for the two Test matches against New Zealand – neither of which count towards the inaugural World Test Championship – as he continues to recover from a calf injury that brought a premature end to his Ashes series – and, by extension – to his summer.

He bowled just four overs against Australia, before coming down with his injury early in the first Test at Edgbaston.

“Look at Jimmy's record, then look at mine. That's a combined tally of over 1,000 Test wickets. I am not expecting to play every game together.

“I expect there to be quite a lot of rotation going forward over the next 18 months but if you have the chance of using us together in favourable conditions, why wouldn't you? No one split up Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, did they? Or Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald.”

Broad also suggested that a “natural break” for his own Test career might come at the conclusion of the World Test Championship in the summer of 2021.

England, of course, are far from certain to be finalists, with a five-match series in India part of their schedule in January 2021 providing, perhaps, the toughest challenge in Test cricket at present.

Broad, who came into the Ashes seemingly under some pressure, emerged as one of England's star men. He dismissed David Warner on seven occasions, taking 23 wickets overall.