Stuart Broad has defended his right to respond to his former England captain Michael Vaughan’s criticism.

Vaughan caused a stir before the second NatWest Test at Headingley when he suggested it may be time to drop either Broad or his record-breaking pace partner James Anderson – to “ruffle some feathers” after England’s nine-wicket defeat against Pakistan at Lord’s.

After each of the new-ball pair took three wickets in the tourists’ first-innings 174 all out in a must-win match for England, Broad revealed he had phoned Vaughan after being angered at what he considered “targeted” and “unfair” comments.

There was a further response from Vaughan on a rainy second morning of the ongoing Test in Leeds, when in his BBC radio summariser’s stint he reminded Broad that England had not yet won the match and his remarks may “come back to bite him”.

Broad had his own platform on Sunday morning, via his Daily Mail column.

His latest response was notable, however, for both its brevity and his reference to Vaughan as merely “a pundit”.

Broad wrote: “It’s fair to say it’s been an interesting week for me and the team – on and off the field.

“I spoke to the press after play on Friday night and was asked about the views of a pundit who had criticised me.

“Fair enough, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but surely that also means players have the right to respond to comments made about them?”