“It won’t get tougher than this” was the remark Justin Langer made at Edgbaston before Australia had to fly out of England, winless in six limited-over games.
Langer, in his first assignment as the full-time coach of the Australian team, was mesmerised by how the hosts England knocked out the Australians every time it looked like they were running away with the game.
The West Australian, who succeeded Darren Lehmann as the coach of the national team after he stepped down in the wake of the ball-tampering saga, fulsomely credited their opponents for their ruthlessness. Langer also admitted that the English top three were on par with the former matchwinning trio Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting. That is where the scars ran more profound and became more alarming – but the ringmaster saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
Not that defeating this inexperienced and wounded Australia emblazoned England with the tag of even the unofficial world champions; it merely meant England were starting to have Australia’s number in a format in which the former have never before looked like the team to beat. The men under Tim Paine took the field last year in June in England oblivious to how the rebuilding process could shape up for at least a year more without two of their leading players.
But at the heart of the matter was that Australia underwent a sharp decline in ODI cricket. As a measure of a fix and to arrest the slide, the defending champions’ understanding was to pick a leaf out of England’s book. For Australia, that wasn’t the only blueprint to England recovering their rhythm, let alone Australia finding their own again; the all-attack approach has betrayed England in crucial games.
Their hopes of a revival weren’t by any means for a smooth one. If Eoin Morgan’s men inflicted on them the beating of a lifetime, it was South Africa’s turn next to maul them Down Under. It wasn’t going to be easy, as Virat Kohli’s men were also approaching the Australian shores. While the most extended format for the large part of the tour was in focus, the 50-over games weren’t much behind, with the grandest stage fast approaching.
Unlike any of the other World Cup editions, Australia’s chances of putting up even a respectable amount of resistance were in jeopardy. But fast forward to the present and the men in yellow will go out to defend their crown in a much familiar landscape, reincarnated and resurrected. It all turned out to be exactly as Langer was confident it would be. Undoubtedly Usman Khawaja’s marathon knock in Dubai suggested Australia’s ignominy wouldn’t last long if they weren’t playing like champions already. The same man was highly decisive in turning their ODIs fortunes around.
Australia’s Usman Khawaja (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
It is ironic to think now how an ocean of uncertainties was looming over the troops when they landed in India. The shattering defeat in Nagpur affirmed it further. Collapses like those had become consistent enough for Australia in the recent past, as besides negating middle overs tactfully, they were toiling to get over the finish line. But Aaron Finch’s men have not only managed to envelop those nagging worries, but they have dealt with them confidently.
Nonetheless, the third ODI in Ranchi was where they turned the tables in ecstatic fashion. It all began in Ranchi, and until Dubai the Australians stretched their impressive winning streak to eight matches. Their timing and intent couldn’t have been more correct as they thundered back into contention.
Not only did Australia raise their game without panicking, but luck was also a factor – but what success doesn’t involve a stroke of luck? After
Darren Lehmann voluntarily stepped down, Langer faced close calls with two other fellow Aussies contending for the job but had succeeded over both by a mile for the job. Not only had Langer undertaken the role of an assistant coach for the national side in the past with a track record hard to overlook, but he was also a battler himself. After existing on the fringes and on the brink of being forgotten, he cemented his place in the Test side alongside the crashers and dashers.
Without a doubt Langer has guided this Australian side remarkably well and could go on to become one of the greatest coaches for the men in yellow. It was in June 2018 that Australia was forced to carry the scars of one of their groundbreaking thrashings in one-day history. Come June and they will be back in the same zone, being no stranger to the threat that is to follow.
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