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Phil Tufnell's Bold 2028 Ashes Prophecy: Josh Tongue to Lead England to Glory

Former England cricketer Phil Tufnell has made a striking prediction that England will win the Ashes on their next tour of Australia in 2028-29. He specifically named pace bowler Josh Tongue as his pick for 'man of the series' in that future contest. Tufnell's forecast follows Tongue's man-of-the-match performance in the Boxing Day Test, where his seven wickets secured England's first win of the current tour. Tongue's rapid ascent continues, as he has earned surprise call-ups for England's 2026 T20 World Cup squad and the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

Key Points: Tufnell Predicts 2028 Ashes Win & Tongue as Man of Series

  • Bold Ashes prediction for 2028-29
  • Josh Tongue tipped as future star
  • Follows Tongue's match-winning MCG performance
  • Tongue's rapid rise across formats
2 min read

Phil Tufnell predicts England's Ashes triumph down under in 2028-29, backs Josh Tongue as "man of the series"

Ex-England star Phil Tufnell forecasts an England Ashes triumph in Australia in 2028-29, naming pacer Josh Tongue as his future 'man of the series'.

"Four years' time, Josh Tongue, man of the series, England winning the Ashes. - Phil Tufnell"

Sydney, December 30

Former England cricketer Phil Tufnell has made a bold prediction about pacer Josh Tongue and the England Test team ahead of the fifth and final Ashes Test, set to get underway from January 4.

Appearing on the Stick to Cricket podcast, the former England cricketer said that England will win the Ashes next time they tour Australia, which is expected to take place in 2028-29. He also noted that pacer Josh Tongue will be the man of the series in the Australia vs England series.

"Four years' time, Josh Tongue, man of the series, England winning the Ashes. Four years. Write that down," Tufnell said on he podcast.

Tuffnell's comments come after Josh Tongue produced a man-of-the-match performance in the recently concluded Australia vs England Boxing Day Test of the ongoing Ashes series, helping the Three Lions win their first match on the tour down under. Coming into the match 3-0, the Ben Stokes-led England defeated Australia by four wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to rule out the possibility of a clean sweep.

Josh Tongue claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test and followed it up with a two-wicket haul in the second innings, taking seven in the match. He became the first England bowler to be named Player of the Match in an Ashes Test in Australia since Dean Headley in 1998.

Tongue also earned a surprise call-up as the Three Lions have included him in their T20 World Cup 2026 squad despite him never having played a limited-overs match for England.

Along with the T20 WC squad, Tongue has also been included in Sri Lanka's tour squad, which precedes the World Cup. Notably, Tongue was the leading wicket taker in The Hundred this year, taking 14 in just six matches with Manchester Originals at an average of 11.07.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
As a cricket fan living in India, I love the Ashes rivalry. Tongue's performance at the MCG was fantastic. If he keeps this up, he could be a real star. But Australia at home is a different beast altogether. England will have their work cut out.
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Ananya R
It's good to see confidence, but this feels like putting too much pressure on a young player. Let him develop naturally. Also, the immediate focus should be on the T20 World Cup 2026 selection – hope he justifies that faith first!
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Vikram M
Typical English optimism! 😄 Remember, we in India know how tough Australian conditions are. One good match doesn't make a summer, or in this case, an Ashes series four years away. But credit where it's due, his Boxing Day spell was top-class.
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Michael C
Interesting take. The game changes so fast. Who knows what the teams will look like in 2028? Injuries, form, new players... Tufnell is going out on a limb. Still, makes for good headlines before the final Test.
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Priya S
As an Indian cricket follower, I appreciate seeing predictions. But our own team's future tours are more on my mind! That said, England avoiding the whitewash was important. Tongue's call-up for the T20 WC is the real surprise – hope he adapts well to the white ball.

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