"We wanted to play Mark Wood but with conversations" - Ben Stokes explains the inclusion of Josh Tongue for 2nd Ashes Test against Australia

England Test captain Ben Stokes said that they didn’t want to rush pace bowler Mark Wood for the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord’s.

On Tuesday (June 27), England revealed their playing XI for the second Test of the series as Worcestershire fast bowler Josh Tongue will replace Moeen Ali.

Wood, meanwhile, has not played any red-ball game since England’s tour of Pakistan last December. He was last seen in action for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2023. However, he returned back home midway through the season to attend the birth of his second child.

Speaking in a press conference on the eve of the second Test, Ben Stokes admitted that the team management wanted to play Mark Wood. But they allowed the Durham speedster enough time to return with full fitness for the next game in Leeds.

Ben Stokes said:

“We wanted to play Mark Wood. We felt that he could definitely start the game, but with conversations. We felt the extra week with build-up and getting his loads up will give him a better chance and an opportunity to play full part from Leeds onwards.”

Tongue, who made his Test debut earlier this month in the one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s, will play as England’s fourth seamer in the upcoming Test. The 25-year-old claimed a five-wicket haul in the second innings against Ireland. He finished with figures of 5/66 in England’s comfortable 10-wicket win to start their summer.

Speaking about the challenge of playing Tongue against an in-depth Australian batting line-up, Ben Stokes said:

“The point is that the only thing that is different is just the bigger occasion for him. He's had his debut game. He's had huge success from (it). Being able to use him for the fourth seamer role is something that I am looking forward to. I think he is also looking for the challenge as well.”

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"Lord's has offered more for the seamers traditionally" - Ben Stokes

England has benched spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali, who made his return to Test cricket after two years, as a precautionary measure for the second Test. The Warwickshire player suffered a blistered index spinning finger during the Ashes opener and was out of the field in the last two hours of Day 5.

England recently named Leicestershire leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed as cover for Moeen. But the team management opted to field four frontline seamers, given that Joe Root offers part-time off-spin.

Explaining the reason to play four seamers without a spinner in their team for the Lord’s Test, Ben Stokes said:

“We turned up here at Lord's and we are seeing a lot of grass on the wicket a bit green. Traditionally, Lord's has offered more for the seamers. Obviously, with how Mo's (Moeen Ali) finger was last week.”

Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 following their two-wicket win at Edgbaston last week.