Due to an injury he suffered at the England Lions’ current training camp in the United Arab Emirates, Josh Tongue will not be participating in his country’s white-ball tour to the Caribbean next month.
He will be replaced by Matthew Potts for the three-match ODI series that starts in Antigua on December 3. However, no replacement has been announced for the five T20I matches that take place from December 12 to December 21.
The 26-year-old Tongue, who looked good in his two Test matches at Lord’s in the 2023 home summer, is devastated by the injury. He had been hoping for a white-ball debut in both formats as England looks to turn things around following their disastrous World Cup campaign in India.
Tongue’s worth to the England team was underscored last month when he was awarded a lucrative two-year contract as the ECB central player, demonstrating his ability to produce uncomfortable bounce at speeds approaching ninety miles per hour.
Speaking to the media last week, Tongue emphasized his goal to improve his white-ball abilities on this Caribbean tour. He has played 50 first-class matches overall, 47 of which have been for his former county, Worcestershire, and just 15 List A and T20 domestic matches.
If all goes well with his injuries, Tongue’s next chance to play for England could be during the five-Test tour of India that begins in January. “I think my pace will help in subcontinental conditions and I can get the ball to reverse as well and my bouncer tactic, which [Ben] Stokes obviously likes, will benefit the team,” he stated before the Lions left for India.
Potts’ late call-up is an opportunity to build on his limited experience playing white-ball for England. He was picked for two ODI games against Ireland before the World Cup, one of which washed out, and a one-time ODI debut against South Africa in 2022.
Similar to Tongue, Potts received a two-year deal with the ECB for 2023–2024 after making an impression with his work ethic during his first Test summer in 2022. Before making one more one-off appearance against Ireland at Lord’s this June, he claimed 20 wickets at 28.00 in five appearances that year.
