Josh Tongue receives the edge from Lord over Mark Wood as England opt for a moderate tempo.

Josh Tongue has been named in England’s XI for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, which begins on Wednesday, June 28. Moeen Ali has been ruled out of the match due to a finger injury he sustained last week at Edgbaston.

Josh Tongue inclusion in England’s plans has raised a few eyebrows, despite his recent success against Ireland at the same venue.

In the second innings of the match, he took five wickets for 66 runs, contributing considerably to a ten-wicket victory. On a sluggish surface, his aggressive approach added an element of unpredictability to England‘s attack.

The England XI has only one change from the team that lost the first Test at Edgbaston by two wickets. James Anderson, who performed poorly in his return match from a groyne injury, has been retained, along with the previous match’s senior seamers, Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad.

Mark Wood, who is currently regarded as England’s fastest bowler, has been overlooked once more, most likely due to Tongue’s capacity to bowl lengthy periods, which compensates for the absence of a specialist spinner. Joe Root, who performed a significant portion of the spin-bowling duties at Edgbaston, including the overs preceding the new ball on the final day, will continue to do so for the team.

Despite a strong performance against Ireland at Lord’s earlier this month, the 25-year-old cricketer’s selection is unexpected. In the second inning, Tongue displayed his abilities by recording a remarkable spell.

His inclusion in the squad appears to be a welcome addition to England’s bowling assault, as his unrelenting aggression could prove beneficial.

Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, and James Anderson comprise England’s XI for the Lord’s Test.