England mishandled 'pin-up girl' Wong - Robinson - Voice of Asia

Former England Women's World Cup-winning coach Mark Robinson believes England needs to learn from the mismanagement of young fast bowler Issy Wong. Wong, who debuted in all three formats of the game at just 20 years old in 2022, was considered one of England's most promising players due to her pace and aggression.

However, Wong’s form has declined since 2023, and she has gradually fallen out of favor. Robinson stated that the excessive promotion and marketing of her did not help at such a young age. “We pushed her to the front before she had enough of a foundation to cope with it,” Robinson said in an interview with TNT Sports, having led England to their World Cup victory in 2017.

“She was the darling of the ECB, a young ‘baby’, but when it got a bit tough, she didn’t have the tools to survive.” Wong was awarded an ECB development contract for the 2024-25 season, and her most recent appearance was in a white-ball series against Ireland last September when most of the first-team players were preparing for the T20 World Cup.

During the 2023 Ashes series, Wong was frequently featured in England's advertising campaigns but ultimately did not play a single match due to inconsistent form. Subsequently, she performed poorly for the Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred competition and was dropped from the team due to issues with her run-up. Surprisingly, her only England appearance that year was against Sri Lanka, where she conceded 24 runs in two overs and had three front-foot no-balls.

Wong will play for Warwickshire in 2025 as part of the new professional domestic system, where Robinson coaches the men’s team. “Issy is doing really well now and working very hard – she is only 22, still very young, and is rapid, so her opportunities will come again,” Robinson added. “This is where we need to learn – how to handle players when they are exposed and when to give them a rest, when to protect them.”

“This isn’t just on the field, it’s also protecting them from the media because sometimes the media want to get a story out of them.” Robinson emphasized the importance of protecting young players from being exposed to the spotlight too early, which could impact their development.