England's early XI announcement for the June 20 Headingley Test against India stirred buzz, particularly over Josh Tongue's inclusion in a pace-heavy attack alongside Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse. With Shoaib Bashir as the lone spinner and Jamie Smith behind the stumps, the lineup looked solid.
However, it was Tongue's selection that drew the most scrutiny, especially online. But former England star Stuart Broad described him as an "X-factor" and emphasized the importance of fitness and consistency. Now that the Test has begun, fans are sharing mixed reactions, questioning whether Tongue's inclusion was the right call.
Josh Tongue, 27, made his Test debut for England on Nay 31, 2023 against Ireland. In 2024, he endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines, missing the entire season with Nottinghamshire due to injury after his 2023 move from Worcestershire. Though he returned to competitive action with the England Lions in Australia, his outings were underwhelming - going wicketless in both matches in Brisbane and Sydney.
It wasn't until over two months later that he finally made his Nottinghamshire debut. His long-awaited breakthrough came on the opening day of the 2025 season, when he claimed his first wicket in 590 days - dismissing wicketkeeper-batter Ollie Robinson.
Despite Broad's backing, Tongue's inclusion has divided opinion online. While a few praised his pace, others questioned his readiness for Test cricket.
One fan posted, "So far Josh Tongue not found his length, where he wanted to bowl."
Another wrote, "Don't really get how Josh Tongue gets into our Test side at the moment TBH. Potts ahead of him...?"
"Josh Tongue has such a weird runup, looks like he has no idea what he's doing," a user commented.
Another added, "Josh Tongue looks like a LOL bowler who is forced to play Tests."
Criticism also extended to the overall bowling lineup: "Is this the worst bowling attack England has ever fielded in a test? Woakes only back from injury and 36, Stokes only back from injury and can¡¯t bowl much, Tongue not good enough, Carse has potential but can be expensive. Basir doesn't get in his county team."
Still, a few remained optimistic: "Great to see Josh Tongue cracking up at good speeds."
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir??
Stay ahead of the game with the latest updates, match highlights, and insider stories from IPL, WTC, cricket, WWE, and more!?Click here.?