England fast-bowler Stuart Broad has confirmed his intention to tour Bangladesh despite security fears and hopes to be fit despite suffering from an ankle injury ahead of the series.Terrorist attacks in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka in July sparked concern over the safety of players and officials.
However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opted to go through with the tour and the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali have committed themselves to the trip.
Paceman Broad has now stated that he will travel, but says any player that opts to stay at home should not be vilified, with limited overs captain Eoin Morgan expressing his reluctance to tour.
“It has been a really difficult decision about whether to tour Bangladesh but on balance I believe it’s the right thing to do and I have told the ECB that I am ready to go,” Broad wrote in the Daily Mail.
“It’s been on all of our minds since July when the terrorist attack happened in Dhaka and none of us have taken our decisions lightly.
“Whenever security is on the agenda it becomes a big decision. A few of us have been in this position before when we went back to India in 2008 following the Mumbai attacks.
“The world is a changing place and there is risk almost anywhere you go these days. It’s a sad reality.
“The ECB have assured us it is safe to go and people’s jobs will depend on keeping us safe. That is a big commitment, they’ve put their necks on the line to an extent and Reg Dickason, the head of security, is a man I trust and who has unrivalled knowledge of this area.
“Having said that, I do have sympathy for anyone who may decide not to go. It has to be a personal decision.
“It’s entirely up to the individual and the ECB have said that all along. No-one should be making throwaway comments about it being ridiculous if people don’t tour.”
Broad also stated that he has been suffering with a stress reaction in his left ankle since the series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, but hopes to be fully rested by the Bangladesh series.
“I was diagnosed with a stress reaction in my left ankle – which is the precursor to a stress fracture – and the ECB’s medical department decided I needed a period of rest to be fit for what is going to be a gruelling seven-Test winter,” he added.
“I’d been managing it since the Sri Lanka series but by the time we played Pakistan in the fourth Test at the Oval it was agony.
“I’ll start bowling again in a couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to being fully fit by the time we leave for the Bangladesh Tests.”