A toe injury has forced Josh Tongue to withdraw from England’s ODI tour of Australia, ending the seamer’s involvement before the series opener in Perth on November 13. The issue relates to his left big toe, a complaint he has managed since the Pakistan tour, and he will return to the United Kingdom for further assessment. England confirmed the development on November 7.
Tongue had been selected solely for the 50-over leg of the trip, having been rested for the preceding T20I series as a precaution. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on the same day that no replacement would be summoned, signalling the management’s confidence in the squad’s existing depth. Both white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum and red-ball coach Stephen Fleming are travelling with the touring party.
The setback is untimely for a bowler who debuted across both white-ball formats in 2024 and has established himself as a mainstay of the Test attack over the past year.
How did Tongue perform in the lead-up to this tour?
Tongue’s white-ball selection was underpinned by a dominant red-ball summer. Across three Tests against Pakistan, he claimed 19 wickets, reinforcing his reputation as a potent new-ball operator in the longer format. That form earned him a place in England’s ODI plans for the Australian assignment.
At the 50-over level, he featured in two home ODIs against Sri Lanka earlier in 2024 before playing one match during the tri-series in Pakistan. At Rawalpindi, he returned figures of 3 for 79 in a remarkable contest where Sri Lanka successfully chased down England’s 429. It is understood the toe issue first flared during that tri-series.
What does Tongue’s absence mean for England’s seam attack?
Without Tongue, England’s pace unit must redistribute his workload across three matches against a formidable Australian line-up. The squad retains a versatile seam battery comprising Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Jamie Overton, and Henry Crocombe, providing McCullum with ample pace options.
The decision against calling up a replacement underscores the management’s faith in the current group. The composition of the attack will draw significant scrutiny when the XI is announced for the series opener in Perth on November 13.
England squad for Australia ODI series
Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root