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Vaibhav Suryavanshi may have been dismissed early after scoring only 14 runs from 10 in his first match in Manchester, but the impression he left is unmatched. Within the short-lived innings, the batsman hit two maximum sixes, one off Jofra Archer and the other off another English fast bowler, Josh Tong.
Ahead of the third match of the ongoing T20 series, Josh Tongue faced the media in the pre-match press conference. While talking to journalists, the fast bowler had to face a question related to Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Team India is likely to continue with the unchanged opening combination with Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Having played in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jofra Archer has the experience to face the 15-year-old batting sensation. That was new to Josh Tongue. The fast bowler had heard a lot about the budding opening batsman, but faced him for the first time.
Since Sanju Samson is not in form and was dropped from the playing eleven in the last match, Vaibhav Suryavanshi is likely to retain his place in the playing combination in the third match as well. Like the last match, the England cricket team will enter Trent Bridge with a complete game plan.
“I was under a bit of pressure”: Josh Tongue on bowling to Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Tong said that he had watched Vaibhav Suryavanshi bat during the IPL 2026 season, so he is well aware of how dangerous the batsman can be if he gets the ball between the blades.
“I saw Vaibhav Suryavanshi bat during the IPL. He is a sensational talent. He hit a six on me, so I was under a bit of pressure, but I focused on my plans and backed up my skills,” he told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
Josh Tong’s fitness is under question
Like many fast bowlers of the England cricket team, Josh Tongue also has a history of serious injuries. Recently his career was full of uncertainty due to serious injuries. He returned from there and is now protesting against India. Josh Tongue said his aim is to make an impact across all formats.
The fast bowler said, “I want to be a bowler who can have a big impact in every format – Test, T20 and even 50-overs. Obviously I was struggling with injuries a few years ago, but that’s part of being a fast bowler. I always wanted to play three formats for England.”
He said that there were many disappointing moments for him in the past few days. But he never gave up and continued to do all the hard work required.
“Because of the injuries I had a few years ago, I didn’t know if I would still be able to play cricket, so I worked really hard in the gym as well as running. There were some frustrating days in the gym where you feel like the walls are getting closer and closer, but you need to keep working hard to make sure you can stay on the park and keep representing England. I want to play as many games as possible because it’s a privilege,” he said.
