Broad eyes World Test Championship above Ashes

Seam bowler Stuart Broad may have hinted at a possible end date to his brilliant Test career for England.

And while Broad is not considering walking away from international cricket anytime soon, he is also confident England fans have not seen the last of James Anderson at the highest level.

The introduction of the World Test Championship, a nine-nation biennial competition that concludes in a grand final between the top two teams, might have Broad reconsidering when he would like to call time on his glittering career.

"It's quite exciting with this Test Championship," Broad said in Manchester on Monday.

"It doesn't feel like the Ashes series is the new cycle anymore, it feels like that World Test Championship Final is the new cycle.

"I know a few of the older players are looking more towards that than an Ashes series."

While it is hard to fully capture Broad's expression as he concluded the above answer – see the above video from his press conference to judge for yourself – but his look very much implied he was referring to himself as one of those "older players".

The World Test Championship Final is set to be played in England in early June 2021, five months before the next Ashes series in Australia in 2021-22.

While Broad, the 33-year-old veteran of 130 Tests, could make it to Australia for one last crack at the Ashes in 2021-22, it is unlikely Anderson will play against Australia again.

The 37-year-old was ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes last week having failed to recover from the right calf injury he picked up after just four overs of the Edgbaston Test.

But Broad is adamant Anderson, who has captured 575 wickets in 149 Tests, has "got a lot of cricket left in him".

"(Anderson) is having a bit of a break now to give the calf a bit of time because he's tried everything," Broad said.

"I've seen him running, bowling, doing absolutely everything he should to play an Ashes Test and then the calf doesn't pull up well enough.

"I think he's realistic: at 37 your body takes longer to heal. He's got a period of time now that he can let it rest.

"I know, well I don't know for certain, but from the conversations I've had, he's looking at the winter and getting fit and wanting to be on that trip."

After the Ashes wraps up, England travel to New Zealand for two Tests in November, followed by four Tests in South Africa either side of the New Year.

Broad will be hoping to be on those southern hemisphere tours and feels he is bowling the best he has for three or four years.

The right-armer has 14 wickets in the Ashes series to date and said a change to shorter run-up has helped him with his rhythm, tempo and pace, which has even surprised him as to how fast he is bowling.

While Broad does not want to set his sights too far beyond the horizon, the lure of another Ashes win and the inaugural World Test Championship are dangling carrots that might be too hard to ignore.

"I'm hungry to keep playing – there is good cricket coming our way," Broad said.

"But I also know you can't look too far ahead in international cricket. I feel I have reinvented myself in the last six-seven weeks on the international stage and that's come from hunger and drive to get better.

"That's an encouraging sign at 33, I'm not tailing off, I'm actually wanting to continue and try and win this Test Championship.

"And more importantly this Ashes series in the next two weeks."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia won by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England won by one wicket at Headingley

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval