“It’s a tough winter”
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England pace bowler Stuart Broad is confident that the national team can follow up their 3-2 Ashes win over Australia by having a successful winter.
England will first face Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in a series that will consist of three Tests, four ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals before travelling to South Africa in December.
While Pakistan and South Africa both pose a serious threat, Broad believes that England are capable of winning both series.
“It’s a tough winter,” Broad told Sky Sports. “I don’t think any side have beaten Pakistan in the UAE so that’s a huge challenge first of all and then going to South Africa, who are a team that personally, I have never beaten in a Test series.
“They’ve had world class players all the way through their Test playing years. We know South Africa is a tough place to go but it’s also a brilliant place and it will be a good, fun tour.
“The wickets offer a little bit of seam, but also if you get in as a batsman you can score heavily. I think we’ve got a team that’s quite nicely balanced to do well in South Africa.”
Pakistan whitewashed England 3-0 when they last met in the United Arab Emirates in January-February 2012. Just a few months later, South Africa defeated England 2-0 and subsequently became the top-ranked Test team. With that in mind, Broad admitted that England will be looking for revenge heading into both series.
“We’ve got experienced players who can score a lot of runs and have scored a lot of runs out there, but also young guys who are completely fearless,” he added. “They will take the game to South Africa so it will be a very special series to be involved in.
“A few of us have been around a long time and we know how tough South Africa are to beat, so it’s exciting going there knowing we’ve got a squad that can do some damage in that part of the world.”