Post-James Anderson-era, fast bowler Josh Tongue was going to lead the England attack. However, he will stay absent for a long time due to a shoulder tendon injury. The biggest absence is the 26-year-old pacer, whose future within the England team and his place as a possible next-in-line after the veteran seamers are now being questioned.
Uncertain Return Timeline
The ECB validated on Monday that English opener Alex Hales has suffered a blowback in his recovery from the ankle injury to the extent that he has missed eight games since August. There is no clear timeline for his coming back to play, which means a continuous period of losing him—one of the most exciting batsmen, for the team.
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Josh Tongue: Impact on Succession Plans
England’s last hope for a seam attack, Anderson, will be retiring after the first Test against the West Indies, which falls in early July. Not to forget the importance of Josh Tongue’s injury to England, as they have just one month to cover Anderson’s place in the team. It was believed that Tongue had the biggest chance to fill Anderson’s shoes, with the camp of England hoping he would gain the right amount of experience for the Ashes series in Australia.
Debuting for the Test team against Ireland last year, Josh Tongue had an outstanding start even before the Ashes, during which time he was one of the main players. A factor that led to his success was his ability to bowl equally well with the new or used ball, as was praised by Ben Stokes and other senior players. This will undoubtedly contribute to his prospects as a national player.
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Bowling Combination Challenges
After the last season, Stuart Broad retired, and now the new task before the England team is to find a good bowling combination for this coming season’s home summer. However, they still have some top-notch players like Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson, but their selection problem gets bigger due to the injury to the bowler, Josh Tongue.
England’s summer at home will be replaced by Pakistan, the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Australia. They will play six tests and the team needs to address the issue of filling a hole behind the wickets with a bowling line-up that is set to face forceful opponents throughout the season.
Such a long-term layoff of Josh Tongue in the starting XI of the England squad will surely pose a setback to the team’s plans to prepare a replacement for old Fox James Anderson. At this stage of the tour, England calls for alternative players to perform their roles and replace the injured player.
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