Vaibhav Tripathi
England’s promising fast bowler, Josh Tongue, has been sidelined from the forthcoming T20I series against New Zealand due to injury. His absence opens the door for Chris Jordan, England’s top wicket-taker in T20Is, to step in for the four-match series commencing on Wednesday at Chester-Le-Street.
Tongue, 25, impressed in the Test matches against Ireland and Australia this summer. He was poised to mark his white-ball debut in the upcoming series. Tongue joins fellow uncapped bowler John Turner in withdrawing from the series due to injuries. This setback not only affects his national duties but also forces him to miss Manchester Originals’ The Hundred eliminator against Southern Brave on Saturday.
Jordan’s inclusion is a strategic move. His form in The Hundred has been solid, securing eight dismissals in five matches at an average of 10.75. Having amassed 96 wickets in 87 T20I matches, the right-arm fast bowler is England’s leading wicket-taker in the format and maintains an average of 27.32, enhancing his reputation as a key asset in the limited-overs arena.