Clarifying the Name and Early Impressions
“It’s Tongue as in T-U-N-G, not Tongue like T-O-N-G! What is that? TONG?”
Josh Tongue, the England and Nottinghamshire fast bowler, is in his three-year-old son’s playroom, addressing a common mispronunciation of his surname that commentators have made since his Test debut in 2023. Some have confused it, leading Tongue to clarify the correct pronunciation with good humor.
Standing 6ft 4in tall and capable of bowling above 90mph, Tongue’s presence on the cricket field is imposing. Despite this, he remains refreshingly candid and grounded in conversation, even when discussing the pronunciation of his name.
“Nah – it’s T-U-N-G,”he says, laughing, urging commentators to take note for future matches.
Breakthrough in the Ashes and Career Highlights
After a difficult Ashes series for England, Tongue’s wicket-taking ability was a rare positive. Brought into the side for the third Test when England was already 2-0 down, he finished the series with 18 wickets from three matches. Notably, on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), he took five wickets in front of a record crowd of 94,199, including his family.
“That was the stuff dreams are made of,”Tongue reflects, still amazed by the experience.
“When we were kids, me and my brother would play against each other in the garden and pretend we were playing an overseas Ashes Test.”
England secured their first Test win on Australian soil since 2011 during that series, and Tongue was named player of the match. He was the first England fast bowler to receive this honor in an Australian Test since Dean Headley in 1998.
Current Fitness and Domestic Season
Several months later, Tongue is preparing for the upcoming domestic cricket season with Nottinghamshire, eager to build on his international success. He missed Nottinghamshire’s opening match of their title defense as he works to regain peak fitness.
“Being at the [T20] World Cup and in Sri Lanka for the white-ball series before, my bowling loads were fairly low compared with the Ashes,”he explains. Although part of England’s white-ball squads, he did not play in those matches.
“So I’m just in the process of getting the loads back up, bowling three or four times a week. I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m back out there.”
Regarding not playing, Tongue maintains a relaxed outlook.
“When it comes to selection, everyone knows I’m pretty chilled. I don’t really ever have a bee in my bonnet if someone says I’m not playing. I always think just to be in the squad, to be around the sort of experience in red ball and white ball will stand me in good stead.”
Overcoming Serious Injuries and Medical Challenges
Tongue’s career has been marked by significant physical challenges. In 2022, he struggled with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition where nerves and blood vessels between the neck and shoulder are compressed, causing pain and numbness in the arms and fingers. This led him to consider early retirement in his mid-20s.
“It was just a horrible time,”he admits. When asked how close he was to quitting, he says,
“Really close. We were in conversations with the PCA [Professional Cricketers’ Association] and going through all the insurance forms. It was heavy.”
The specialist treating him considered a third operation, possibly removing his first rib to relieve pressure, which Tongue believed would have ended his career.
However, a last-resort treatment involving Botox injections was suggested to relax the muscles and ease the compression. This intervention allowed Tongue to return to bowling within weeks and to play for Worcestershire later that summer. Six months after that, he made his England debut.
“I was back bowling about two or three weeks later and played for Worcestershire at the back end of that summer. Six months later, for England,”he says, still somewhat amazed.
Further Injuries and Support from Coaches
Despite this recovery, injuries continued to affect Tongue. A ruptured pectoral muscle and torn hamstring caused him to miss the entire 2024 season for Nottinghamshire.
At the end-of-season event, Tongue expressed regret to head coach Peter Moores for not having played yet. Moores reassured him firmly.
“I’m really sorry I’ve not played for you yet,”Tongue said. Moores responded,
“I don’t want to hear you apologising for being injured ever again. It’s crap, but we’ll get you right.”
Tongue praises Moores as an excellent man-manager and also speaks highly of Brendon McCullum, Nottinghamshire’s head coach.
“I’m lucky to work under two coaches who make you feel 10 feet tall, make you want to get out there and absolutely smash it. They’ve both given me so much confidence.”
Ambitions and Bowling Style
Buoyed by this confidence, Tongue aims to elevate his Test career further.
“My dream is to be England’s opening bowler. That’s where my eyes are at the minute.”
During the Ashes, despite calls for him to take the new ball, Tongue was used as first change due to his skill bowling with a lacquer-less ball. On the county circuit, he has earned the nickname “The Mop” for his ability to dismiss tailenders efficiently. However, he also relishes the challenge of bowling to top-order batsmen.
Success Against Steve Smith
One of Tongue’s notable achievements has been his success against Steve Smith, one of cricket’s greatest batsmen. Tongue has dismissed Smith five times in seven first-class innings.
“Well, he’s got plenty of runs against us too [Smith averages in the teens against Tongue] but it is amazing. He’s a player I grew up watching so a few times I have been thinking: ‘Bloody hell, I’ve just got Steve Smith out … again.”
The two shared a beer at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) after the series, where Smith took the encounter in good humor.
“He had a laugh about it,”Tongue says.
“Do you know what? I don’t really like talking about cricket too much when I’m not playing.”
Recent Off-Field Incident and Moving Forward
The interview took place shortly after the cricket regulator decided not to take further action against Tongue following an incident during a night out in Wellington. Tongue was not part of England’s squad for the ODI against New Zealand the following day, unlike teammates Brook and Bethell, who received caution notices.
“Things have happened and I’ve learned from them. I just want to forget about it now and move forwards. All I want to do is play cricket for England and make the fans happy.”
Outlook for the Summer
Looking ahead, Tongue anticipates a pivotal summer where his wicket-taking ability will be crucial to maintaining his place in the team. He is unconcerned about how his name is pronounced by fans or commentators.
“They can call me what they like, the Aussie fans did as you can imagine. As long as I’m on the park and taking wickets, that’s enough for me.”
