Playing county cricket changed my approach: Broad

England paceman Stuart Board has credited a short stint with Nottinghamshire and a pep talk with County coaches for the amazing resurrection of his career as he emerged Man-of-the-series in India's 4-0 whitewash after struggling against Sri Lanka a few weeks back.

Broad took 25 wickets at an average of 13.84 in the series against India, compared to just eight wickets against Sri Lanka at a whopping 48.75.

During the ODI series against Sri Lanka, Broad made a brief return to county cricket, missing the final match to play for Nottinghamshire and felt that changed his career.

"After Sri Lanka, I had to work out what type of bowler I wanted to be and what was the best way to take Test wickets. To go away and play for Notts and get a five-wicket haul pitching the ball up a week before that first Test gave me a lot of confidence," Broad said.

There at County, coach Mick Newell and Andre Adams helped him rectify his flaws.

"It was more going back into the changing room and speaking to the likes of Andre and Mick and realising what I wanted to do. It was the first time in my short career that I'd been put under a huge amount of pressure and you do start asking questions of yourself," Broad was quoted as saying by 'Daily Telegraph'

"My bouncer is a dangerous weapon, but to use it as a surprise makes the fuller ball more dangerous. For the change in approach to succeed straight away at Lord's, where I picked up four wickets, really showed me the way to go for the rest of the series and the 25 wickets I took speak for themselves," the young paceman added.

Broad said after achieving the number one status, his side is aiming for the inaugural Test Championship in 2013.

"The World Test Championship is something we are aiming for. The best chance of winning that is by being the best team in the world because, firstly, you are playing good cricket and, secondly, if you draw the final you will retain the championship," Broad said.

CA considering India's request for extra practice match

Cricket Australia is considering India's plea for an extra practice game during their tour of the country later this year even though it concedes that the request, made after the team was thrashed in England, would be difficult to accomodate.

"We are currently considering the request," a CA spokesman was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

"You've got to understand that scheduling is a three-dimensional exercise and it is always difficult to make any changes once things are finalised. But we have always had cordial relations with the BCCI and we should be able to find a way," he assured.

India fell from the number one spot in ICC Test rankings after trailing 0-3 in the ongoing four-match series against England.

The team has been heavily criticised for the debacle with several former players blaming it on lack of practice games before the series. India played just one warm-up match before the Tests got underway last month.

Even for the tour of Australia, India have just one practice match, a four-day game against a Cricket Australia chairman's XI at Canberra's Manuka Oval, beginning on December 18.

And although CA is considering BCCIs request for an extra game, it would be difficult to work it out as all of Australia's state and many of its international players will be involved in the expanded Big Bash, which begins on December 16.

The four-Test India-Australia series begins with the Boxing Day (December 26) Test before moving to Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.