Ben Stokes met Josh Tongue for the primary time when the England squad gathered in London on Monday forward of this one-off Test in opposition to Ireland. Less than every week on, Tongue has imprinted himself as completely on his skipper's coronary heart as on the Lord's honours board.

Mayday calls to county cricket for emergency quick bowlers not often get answered as rapidly or successfully. Yet the Worcestershire seamer was not solely a degree of distinction on his England debut, however seamlessly slipped into the assorted roles his captain requested.

"He must think I'm a pretty good bloke giving him his Test debut," Stokes joked, talking after he had led the group to an eleventh win in 13 Tests. The sentiment is clearly reciprocated due to Tongue's experience and enthusiasm.

"I told him the role that I saw him playing in this team as our third seamer, and used him in a way to get different types of spells out of one bowler," Stokes added.

"His first spell, he came on and bowled really well pitching the ball up. Then we looked to use his pace to use him as the aggressor when we needed to and the wicket got a bit flat. For him to show he's more than one type of bowler does us the world of good as a team going forward, knowing we've found someone else who can fulfil the role of the guys with the extra pace."

"Bowling the long spell yesterday and two long spells today, I wasn't quite sure of how to manage him so early on," stated Stokes. "But I was very, very impressed with the way he just said yes to the plans I wanted him to operate under."

But Tongue's opening burst on Friday evening for his first three wickets was proper, and in many ways the perfect distillation of what he offers. As were the 13 overs, 0 for 40, on day one, which was the prologue to him raising the ball to all sides of the ground on Saturday.

"He was very unfortunate to not get a wicket within the first innings however he positively reaped the rewards [in the second]," Stokes said. "The approach he bowled contributed to the 5 wickets he acquired in that innings as a result of they had been already on the again foot in opposition to him, realizing he is acquired that further little bit of tempo. He can bowl 90mph full and quick, so he was form of one step forward within the second innings already due to how he bowled within the first innings."

Ahead of that maiden spell, Stokes had taken it upon himself to strip away as much of the occasion as possible, once James Anderson had presented Tongue his cap. It was only when Tongue came onto bowl after 10 overs on day one that there was anything akin to a pep talk.

"I stored it easy," Stokes said. "I informed him to simply run in and do what you do - after which I'll fear about the remainder of the stuff. Let the lad exit and bowl in the way in which that is acquired him right here within the first place."

By all accounts, he did not seem daunted by coming into a side on such a high. Vice-captain Ollie Pope remarked on Friday that it had not looked like Tongue was around the squad for the first time. On personality as well as skill, he has fitted into the dressing-room.

"Everyone is actual straightforward to get on with and I assume it helps somebody like that, who little doubt would have been fairly nervous and anxious about being in his first dressing-room as an England participant for the primary time," Pope stated.

And now it is official. It will not be the final time he units foot in that dressing-room, definitely not this summer time. Having grasped an unlikely alternative on and off the sector, it appears Tongue has banked no less than two Ashes Tests.

Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo