Ashes 2023: Who is Josh Tongue – the bowler who replaced moeen ali

Captain Ben Stokes has named rookie seamer Josh Tongue to England’s playing 11 for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. The Worcestershire paceman is the lone alteration to the England squad that was defeated by two wickets in the first Test at Edgbaston.

Tongue will make his Ashes debut in place of all-rounder Moeen Ali. Senior pacer Mark Wood is still not fully fit, allowing the youthful seamer to enter.

Tongue, 25, replaces Moeen in a four-man seam attack at Lord’s after making his debut against Ireland earlier this month and picking up a five-for.

Here is everything you need to know about Josh Tongue.

Tongue, who is expected to be the X-factor for Ben Stokes and his band at Lord’s, began playing cricket at a young age but considered retiring early owing to a recurring shoulder ailment.

Tongue’s precision and an extra yard of pace from a high action usually drew nods of respect, and it seemed only a matter of time before England came knocking.

He began playing for Worcestershire at the age of six, and his bond with the county has never been severed. He had the club’s Under-10 team ready well ahead of schedule. Tongue has subsequently progressed through the age groups and academy system at New Road. Eventually, he made his first-class debut for the County side in 2016.

Josh Tongue List A and T20 stats

Tongue has primarily been regarded as a red-ball prospect. He has played 15 List A games and only 10 T20s, three of which have come after his return from England Test duty.

Despite his shaky track record, which includes only 24 limited-overs wickets, he was signed by Manchester Originals for the Hundred competition this summer.

Career-endangering shoulder injury

A shoulder injury two years ago put his hopes of playing international cricket on ice, resulting in a 15-month battle. He couldn’t feel his entire right arm, let alone grip the ball, due to the injuries. At his lowest point, he wondered if he was done competing at the highest level.

Given the gravity of the situation, he even sought advice from the Professional Cricketers’ Association on alternate career paths. Regular bouts of numbness and pins and needles perplexed a pair of shoulder specialists, with two procedures failing to provide any relief and a third possibly involving rib removal.

Tongue said last month that he had a “very rare injury to have as a cricketer,” but just as all hope appeared lost, an ultrasound revealed an impingement in his arm artery.

Instead of having another surgery, he was given the unconventional suggestion of a Botox injection to the neck. Tongue was able to resume bowling after a few months because to the medication.

Despite the fact that the jabs are not a cure, Tongue has already received a second dose to get him through the summer. However, the original collision improved his thoracic outlet syndrome to the point where he may return to action in August 2022.

Tongue shone for the Young England Lions

Despite only making a few appearances last year, Tongue was called up to the England Lions side to face Sri Lanka, and he made the most of his opportunity in Galle, taking eight wickets. He even had a fifer in the first innings and gave up 76 runs in the unofficial Test on a pitch known for being a seamer’s cemetery.

Tongue’s stock soared after he dismissed international talents Steve Smith and Cheteshwar Pujara last month in an LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two match against Sussex.

Also Read: Why did Australia and West Indies Decline to Play in Sri Lanka during 1996 World Cup? (cricfiles.com)