"I feel like sometimes I didn't bowl as best as I could": Josh Tongue reflects despite leading wicket-taker status

London [UK], August 3 (ANI): In just his third appearance of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, England pacer Josh Tongue has made a significant impact, as he is the leading wicket-taker of the series along with Mohammed Siraj. Both seamers now have 19 wickets to their name, but while Siraj has featured in all five Tests, Tongue has reached the mark in just three.
The young English quick was once again impressive at The Oval, finishing with figures of 5/125 in India's second innings, his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He finished the game with eight wickets to his name. Despite the achievement, Tongue remained grounded as he reflected on his performance across the series.
"I think a lot of up and downs. I feel like sometimes I didn't bowl as best as I could, especially the first day here," he admitted at the post-day press conference.
"Yeah, obviously very tough to get the wickets and the main thing is getting the wickets for the team and putting us in good positions to win games of cricket," he added.
At the end of Day 3's final session at The Oval, England managed to put 50/1 on the board, with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 34(48). In pursuit of a 374-run target, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett adopted a swift approach but eventually slowed down to ensure England remained unscathed at the end of the day. The duo raised a 50-run partnership, but Mohammed Siraj came to spoil the party.
Crawley anticipated a bouncer but was met by a searing yorker that rattled the timber, ending his stay on the crease on 14(36). The sound of stumps rattling marked the end of the day's play.
Before England began its hunt to gun down their second-highest target, Dhruv Jurel was the first to perish after being pinned in front of the stumps by Jamie Overton on 34(46). Ravindra Jadeja continued to fight and brought up his fifty in style by punching the ball through the point for a four. He brought out his sword to celebrate his valiant half-century.
Jadeja's jubilation was short-lived after he gave away a thick outside edge while slashing the ball off Josh Tongue to Harry Brook, stationed at the second slip. After Jadjea's composed 53(77) met its end, Mohammed Siraj soon joined him in the dressing room after being deemed lbw by the umpire in the same over.
Siraj stood in disbelief as the review showed he had got an inside edge, but he had no option but to return, considering India had burned all its reviews. Realising the gravity of the situation, Washington Sundar upped the ante and produced fireworks with his bat in London.
He dispatched the ball for a towering maximum off Gus Atkinson and then smoked the ball into the stands twice off Tongue in the next over. Sundar continued to torment Atkinson by edging the ball for a four and then topping it up by effortlessly hammering the ball for back-to-back boundaries. He brought up his fifty by smacking the ball over deep mid-wicket and making it disappear in the crowd.
Tongue pulled the curtains down on Sundar's run-fest and completed his five-wicket haul. Sundar tried to clip it, but ballooned the ball in the air. Zak Crawley and Jamie Smith went for it and barely managed to avoid a collision with the former, ensuring the ball remained in his hand. As Sundar walked back with his sizzling 53(46), India packed their bags on 396. (ANI)