Ashes 2023: Josh Tongue is a like-for-like replacement for Mark Wood, says England captain Ben Stokes

England skipper Ben Stokes feels Josh Tongue is a like-for-like replacement for Mark Wood for the second Ashes Test against Australia, which is being played at the Lord’s, London. England decided to pick Josh Tongue ahead of Mark Wood for the second Test because the latter is not fully fit and the hosts want to manage his workload.

In fact, Tongue recently made his Test debut against Ireland and picked up a total of five wickets at the same venue. However, it is well known Mark Wood could ruffle a few feathers with his extra pace.

Ben Stokes won the toss and decided to bowl first at Lord’s in the second Test given overcast conditions and a tinge of green grass on the pitch.

“We are gonna have a bowl. Overhead conditions played a massive part, and the surface also looks good to have a bowl. Disappointed not having Woody, but Tongue is a like-for-like replacement,” Stokes said at the toss while talking to the official broadcasters.

“Joe is really enjoying the challenge (with the ball) and is turning into a genuine all-rounder. You can name a numerous amount of things in the last Test, but we could have been a lot tidier in some of the moments.”

Tongue impressed on the opening day as he picked wickets of both Australian openers. The right-arm pacer clean-bowled Australia’s first Test hero Usman Khawaja when the left-hander decided to leave an incoming delivery. Furthermore, the 25-year-old bowled a peach of a delivery to a well-settle David Warner, who had no answer to an inswinger after scoring 66.

In fact, Tongue bowled around 86 miles/hour and he was the quickest of four England’s seamers.

On the other hand, Australia brought in Mitchell Starc for Scott Boland in the ongoing second Test.