Although James Anderson is absent from the Ashes through injury, Stuart Broad remains confident of taking the field with his longstanding new-ball partner again.

Anderson hobbled off in the early stages of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston and despite his best efforts to battle back to full fitness, a recurrence of the calf injury has ruled him out for the rest of the summer.

However, Broad expects his team-mate to play Test cricket again as England look forward to a winter tour of New Zealand and South Africa, followed by a home series against Pakistan in 2020.

“He has a lot of cricket left in him,” said Broad.

“I had in my mind the idea that it was almost written in the stars that he would be back and open the bowling at the James Anderson End and bowl us to victory. But that’s not going to happen.”

“I called him (Anderson) straight away when I heard the news on social media, he said, ‘I just need to get it right for the winter tours now.”

“He's obviously very disappointed. He's put his heart and soul into getting back to full fitness. He's done everything he possibly could. So he's frustrated.

"He's going to have a period of time of ifs and buts - what if I'd done this; could I have done that - but also it's important for him to have a bit of a break and look forward to future challenges. I think he's realistic.”

Broad, who has taken 14 wickets in this series so far including a five-wicket haul in the first Test, is also looking forward to seeing the resumption of Jofra Archer’s battle with Steve Smith.

“Firstly, it's great that Steve is ok and coming back into Test cricket," Broad said.

"No one wants to see anyone miss cricket through a head injury. It was a nasty hit. It's great to have him back.

"But Test cricket is a brutal sport. Sides go hell for leather against each other. So I'm sure that, when Steve comes in, Jofra will be in Joe Root's ear wanting the ball. And I'll be excited when he does.

“It was a really tasty bit of cricket at Lord’s. Smith was on 70 or 80 and playing beautifully, but suddenly Jofra went form bowling 84mph to bowling 95mph. He was really charging in. That’s the intensity – the theatre – Test cricket brings," he said.

"That sort of cricket is awesome to watch on the telly or from the stands but when you're stood at mid-on it's pretty special. Hopefully we can have a battle like that again.”

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International Test cricket will make it’s return to Trent Bridge next summer as Pakistan face England between 20-24 August 2020, as James Anderson will be hoping to pair up with Broad to lead the attack in the red-ball format once again. Register your interest here...