Josh Tongue

It hadn't been a simple route from A to B, however. One year earlier, Tongue had been midway through a 15-month lay-off that he feared might end his career before it had started. A nerve problem in his right shoulder, called thoracic outlet syndrome, required two surgeries and botox injections to rectify, and left him in a "really dark place". But a successful winter with England Lions in Sri Lanka placed him back on the radar, and paved the way for his call-up.

Further injury issues delayed Tongue's progress after that initial Test breakthrough. A ruptured pectoral muscle, then a torn hamstring, ruled him out of the 2024 season - which should have been his first for his new county, Nottinghamshire - but he made up for lost time in 2025. A successful return to the Test team was followed by a crucial role in Notts' County Championship title win, with Tongue delivering a decisive five-wicket haul to dethrone Surrey at The Oval.

Tongue's career had begun at Worcestershire, for whom he played huge role in their promotion from Division Two in his debut season in 2017. He went on to make his England U19 Test debut in that same summer, and won a place in the England Lions squad to Australia. After taking a five-wicket haul on Championship debut against Glamorgan at the start of April (he had previously played one first-class game against Oxford MCCU in 2016), he kept his place for the entire campaign and finished with 47 Championship wickets. Central to that success was his sharp pace and bounce generated from a high, easy action.