"I have never heard a bad word spoken about him from players"- Justin Langer on Stuart Broad

Former Australian opener and head coach Justin Langer believes Stuart Broad is a different person off the field than what he is perceived as on the field by the Aussie fans. Broad over the years has been infamously winding up the Australian team with his cheeky comments.

However, Langer feels all that was just a part of the game and claimed that the veteran pacer was admired by the fans, especially during the time when he played in the Big Bash League.

In his column for The Telegraph, here's what Justin Langer had to say about Stuart Broad's personality:

"Stuart might make some Australian fans’ blood boil, but I have never heard a bad word spoken about him from players on either side, and I know how much he was admired by everyone when he played in the Big Bash. Often your perception of an opponent can be far from reality. I have learned that the opponents you least like, are often the ones you would love most in your team."

Langer shed light on how his former teammate and legendary bowler Glenn McGrath was also known for his comments on the opponents. He added:

"Glenn McGrath used to predict we would win every game and was labelled an arrogant Aussie smart alec for his taunts. But if you know Glenn, he hasn’t got a serious bone in his body. We would laugh behind closed doors at how seriously people would take his views."

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Justin Langer on his first memory of Stuart Broad

Justin Langer was a part of the 2005 Ashes tour on which he faced a young Stuart Broad for the first time. Just 19 years of the age at the team, Broad had impressed Langer with his bowling and the latter was convinced that the young pacer would go on to achieve big things with England.

On this, he stated:

"I first remember Broady as a lanky 19-year-old bowling to us in the Leicester nets in the lead up to the 2005 Ashes tour. From ball one it was apparent he had something special. Tall, athletic, accurate, he was a handful. One of those kids you say, ‘wow, this youngster has something special.’"

Stuart Broad retires from international cricket with a staggering 604 wickets, only second in the list of all-time wicket-takers among fast bowlers.