Justin Langer has all the qualifications to take over the Australian coaching job as incumbent Darren Lehmann intends to call halt when his current contract expires after the Ashes tour to England in 2019.
Langer’s biggest decision will be whether he can cope with the demanding job that requires being away from family and friends for around 300 days a year.
By any standards, that’s a huge ask.
Lehmann sums it up best – “That will be it for me – a case of too much time, too much travel”.
Six years of being away from home around 300 days a year must be debilitating, but there’s no alternative – it goes with the territory.
Langer has already played fill-in roles, replacing Lehmann on a break as batting coach, coach, and T20 coach.
The 47-year-old Langer is the Western Warriors coach in the Sheffield Shield, and coaching the current Matador Cup (50 over) champions, and the defending Big Bash League champion Perth Scorchers in the 20 over format.
After last night, the Scorchers are unbeaten in four games to top the BBL table, proving a great cricketer can be a successful coach.
The transition doesn’t always follow, just ask basketball legend Andrew Gaze as coach of the Sydney Kings languishing on the bottom of the NBL table.
Make no mistake, Justin Langer was a batting icon.
(Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
He’s second to Sir Donald Bradman in first class centuries. Bradman made his last triple figure score 69 years ago, but is still the most successful Australian with 117.
Langer is second with 86, Lehmann and Ricky Ponting share third on 82, followed by Mark Waugh 81, with Matt Hayden, Steve Waugh, and Stuart Law sharing 79, and Chris Rogers’ 76.
But the Langer influence doesn’t finish there.
Langer and Hayden are the second most successful opening pair in Test cricket history behind the West Indian pair of Desmond Haynes, and Gordon Greenidge.
The table:
Haynes – Greenidge – 148 innings – 6482 runs – average 46.63.
Langer – Hayden – 113 – 5655 – 51.41.
Andrew Strauss – Alastair Cook – 117 – 4722 – 40.97.
Marvan Atapatu – Sanath Jayasuriya – 118 – 4469 – 40.25.
Virender Sehwag – Gautam Gambir – 87 – 4469 – 51.79.
Mark Taylor – Michael Slater – 78 – 3887 – 51.14.
Bobby Simpson – Bill Lawry – 62 – 3596 – 59.93.
Sir Jack Hobbs – Herbert Sutcliffe – 38 – 3249 – 87.81.
So there’s a lot to recommend Justin Langer to be the next Australian coach.
All it needs is to accept the cold hard fact his life will be upended.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
So they’re “proven factors”, but they “don’t need explanations”... Seriously Lord, this is laughable from someone who claims to be a professional sports writer. Why don’t you just be honest and admit that you don’t have the ability to do the required analysis? The Roar’s other professionals manage to do the analysis - Ronan, Brett, Kersi, etc. I would recommend you sit down and read their stuff closely. Excellent examples to learn from. I know you’re at the end of your career, but give it a go anyway!
DingoGray
Roar Guru
When was the last time WA won the Sheffield Shield?
David Lord
Expert
Daddyo, tragic to see your ignorance of sport has continued in 2018. Justin Langer's coaching style, and man management, are proven factors in his success as a coach, they don't need explanations when the only currency is winning. Even with your ignorance that's surely self-explanatory. What is more important is there's no guarantee great players make great coaches, His playing stats are there to prove he's among the elite of world class batsmen, and his success as a coach is top shelf and showing no signs of abating. That's the etc etc all explained to everyone but you.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
The usual rubbish article from David centred around a bunch of irrelevant stats copied from Wikipedia. How about some analysis of Langer’s coaching style? His man management abilities? Etc etc
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
When Lehmann started as coach he tried to bring a transparency to national selection. Shield hundreds would lead to test consideration. One day domestic runs would lead to national one day selection. I expect Langer would provide a similar transparency. Play for Western Australia or the Scorchers and you will make the national side.
David Lord
Expert
Quite correct Haydos, thank you.
paul
Guest
Gillespie surely has better credentials than Langer? At Test level, much of this job is about man management and Dizzy's shown he can do that by being an Aussie who coached a team full of Yorkshiremen to the County Championship, 2 years in a row. I hope Dizzy gets the gig, he'll be terrific.
Micky t
Guest
I would have Ricky Ponting do the T20 side and langer do Test and one dayers. It's too much of an ask unless you don't want to actually see your wife and kids which may suit some?
Bakkies
Guest
Would rather Dizzy but not coaching in the Shield and the lack of a consistent A level program to get a good look at local players might go against him. Coaching Twenty 20 Baseball in the off season is not enough. Lehmann looked for a job in Australia as soon as he finished up in County Cricket. Whereas Dizzy resigned from Yorkshire, didn't coach a team last year apart from the Strikers. Now is off to Sussex.
I ate pies
Guest
Langer would just replace the whole team with West Australians. He's no doubt good at galvanising a team, but geez he's parochial.
Haydos
Guest
David you've referred to the Perth Scorchers as the Strikers twice in your article.
riddler
Guest
being out of oz and not following shield at all don't know that much about langer's coaching.. couldn't even say who won the shield last.. :( but if gillespie puts his hat in the ring i would be very happy.. did a great job with yorkshire and has just been taken on by sussex..