Cipriani produced the match-winning play in Sale's 18-13 win at Newcastle Falcons on Sunday, chipping over an opponent before releasing Mark Jennings, who fed Johnny Leota for the final try of their Aviva Premiership match.
It is that type of "X-factor" that England need for next year's Six Nations, according to Braid, after their average end-of-year period.
While England defeated Australia 26-17 to end the European winter international period with a 2-2 win-loss record, Stuart Lancaster's men did lose their first two matches to New Zealand and South Africa and Braid said they need Cipriani to challenge the world's best teams.
"There aren't many number 10s in England who could do what Danny did on Sunday, that's for sure," Braid told the Manchester Evening News.
"That's the thing with Cips - he does that have that X-factor and you've got to go with it.
"Sunday's game was all about sticking to the game plan and wearing Newcastle down but when a guy like Danny sees the space and knows it's on, you've just got to back him to make the decision.
"The way Newcastle were playing it needed that X-factor and Danny has it.
"It's whether the higher-ups at the next level with England see that.
"You need that to break down the best defences and with the England forward pack playing the way they do, Danny could really thrive."
Cipriani has eight caps for England, with his international career having been blighted by discipline problems.
But with Sale sitting in sixth in the Aviva Premiership - nine points behind leaders Northampton Saints - just under halfway through the campaign, Braid remains grateful for his team's sake that Cipriani is not an England regular.
"It's England's loss but our gain at Sale," Braid said.