The Ashes: Josh Tongue included in 16-player England squad for first two Tests

Watch The Ashes live and in full on Sky Sports Cricket. The series gets under way at Edgbaston on Friday June 16 with build-up beginning at 9.30am ahead of the first ball at 11am

Image: Josh Tongue celebrates taking his maiden Test wicket on day two of the Test between England and Ireland at Lord's

Josh Tongue has been named in England's Ashes squad for the first two Tests against Australia.

England have named an unchanged squad from the ongoing Test against Ireland at Lord's, meaning Ben Foakes will not feature in the opening two matches.

Worcestershire seamer Tongue has been included following an impressive debut with the ball against Ireland which proved enough to keep his spot in the group.

It's been a meteoric rise for the 25-year-old who was a late addition to England's squad for the one-off Test due to injury concerns over James Anderson (groin) and Ollie Robinson (ankle), who are both expected to be fit to face Australia at Edgbaston from Friday June 16.

Both captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum spoke glowingly before the four-day match about Tongue, who spent 15 months on the sidelines with a nerve problem in his shoulder before he returned to fitness in 2022 and last month dismissed Australia batter Steve Smith while in action for his county against Sussex.

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Josh Tongue takes two wickets in the same over on his Test debut for England against Ireland!

The 25-year-old now finds himself in contention for the first two Ashes Tests alongside a group of talented fellow seamers Anderson, Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts, Robinson, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.

Jack Leach remains the only spinner in the group and Essex's Dan Lawrence is England's only batting cover.

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England's 16-man squad will report to Birmingham on Monday June 12 and are due to practice at Edgbaston on Tuesday June 13 before the Ashes get under way on June 16.

Nasser: England squad as we expected

Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain:

"It's pretty much as we thought.

With the Ashes set to get underway on Friday at Edgbaston, relive some of the best ever series openers to have occurred in the UK

"You have to think of injuries. How is Jonny Bairstow? If he had been struggling through these first three days, they may have called Ben Foakes back in as cover - but they haven't, so that's good news.

"Ben Stokes with that knee issue, you may need to think of another all-rounder - I'm throwing the name out, Sam Curran - but again, they think no, Stokes is going to play.

"Dan Lawrence is the spare batter. He hasn't played Test cricket for a while, but he fits in with the brand and style they want to play.

"Now what they've got to do is pick from that squad an XI for the conditions at Edgbaston."

Full England Men's Ashes Test Squad:

  • Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
  • James Anderson (Lancashire)
  • Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
  • Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
  • Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
  • Zak Crawley (Kent)
  • Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
  • Dan Lawrence (Essex)
  • Jack Leach (Somerset)
  • Ollie Pope (Surrey)
  • Matthew Potts (Durham)
  • Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
  • Joe Root (Yorkshire)
  • Josh Tongue (Worcestershire)
  • Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
  • Mark Wood (Durham)

LV= Insurance Men's Ashes Series

Ben Stokes, speaking ahead of his debut in the one-off Test against Ireland, says Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue can bring the ‘X factor’ to the England team

First Test: England v Australia, 16-20 June, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Second Test: England v Australia, 28 June-2 July, Lord's, London

Third Test: England v Australia, 6-10 July, Headingley, Leeds

Fourth Test: England v Australia, 19-23 July, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

Fifth Test: England v Australia, 27-31 Kia Oval, London

Watch The Ashes live and in full on Sky Sports Cricket. The series gets under way at Edgbaston on Friday June 16 with build-up beginning at 9.30am ahead of the first ball at 11am.

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