Cricket runs in the blood of Josh Tongue as his father was a cricket coach, and Tongue represented the Worcestershire U10 side when he was just six years old. He progressed through every stage of the club's youth system, attending King's School in Worcester, where he had access to top-quality coaching and facilities. His natural talent for bowling shone through early, though his path was not without obstacles.

Tongue's progress was delayed by a stress fracture of the back that necessitated surgery during the 2016 season. Despite this setback, he made his first-class debut for Worcestershire against Oxford MCCU in March 2016. What followed in 2017 was nothing short of sensational. At just 19 years old, Tongue burst onto the scene with 47 wickets in the County Championship as Worcestershire secured promotion from Division Two. His sharp pace and bounce, generated from a high and easy action, made him one of the most exciting fast bowling prospects in English cricket. That breakthrough season also earned him an England U19 debut and a place in the England Lions squad to Australia.

However, his journey took a dark turn. A nerve problem in his right shoulder called thoracic outlet syndrome required two surgeries and botox injections to rectify, leaving him in a really dark place during a 15-month lay-off. At one point, Tongue feared his career might be over before it truly began. But his determination saw him through. A successful winter with England Lions in Sri Lanka in early 2023 placed him back on the radar.

Tongue made his Test debut for England against Ireland on June 1, 2023, at Lord's, claiming five wickets for 66 in the second innings. That memorable debut earned him a place on the Lord's honours board and a spot in the Ashes squad that followed. He played in the second Ashes Test at Lord's, taking five wickets across the match. Tongue signed a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire in July 2023, moving from his boyhood club Worcestershire.

After missing the entire 2024 county season due to a pectoral injury, Tongue made a stunning comeback in 2025, scoring his maiden first-class half-century of 55 and taking a five-for in his Nottinghamshire debut against Durham. His 2025 resurgence continued with the England Test team. Despite featuring in only three Tests against India in the summer of 2025, Tongue was England's top wicket-taker in the series with 19 wickets, including a five-wicket haul at The Oval.

His career reached a new peak during the 2025-26 Ashes series held in Australia. After being included in the squad, he played a vital role in the later stages of the tour. He took five wickets in the Adelaide Test and followed it up with a match-winning performance in Melbourne where he took seven wickets for 89 runs. He was named Player of the Match for that performance and ended the series with a total of 18 wickets. Because of his consistent excellence, the ECB awarded him a two-year central contract in November 2025 to ensure he remains a key part of the England setup.

In franchise cricket, Tongue has been a valuable asset for Manchester Originals in The Hundred. In the 2025 edition, he produced match-winning performances, taking three wickets against Northern Superchargers and three-for against Welsh Fire. His victims included some of the biggest names in world cricket, dismissing Kane Williamson, David Warner, and Steve Smith in successive matches. His ability to extract bounce and generate pace from his towering six-foot-four frame has made him a handful for batters across formats.