Andrew Strauss, English cricket’s new kingmaker, has offered more credence to rumours linking Justin Langer with their head coach’s job, saying he “wouldn’t rule him out”.
And as the saga surrounding Langer’s ended with his resignation on Saturday, John Buchanan, one of his distinguished predecessors as national team coach, has slammed Cricket Australia’s treatment of the Ashes-winning orchestrator.
LANGER QUITS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
Following a marathon board meeting on Friday, CA simply vowed to “enter into confidential discussions” with Langer about his future as coach.
Langer’s position was a priority of the discussions in Melbourne after months of speculation, even after Australia’s recent 4-0 Ashes demolition of England and the breakthrough Twenty20 World Cup title in November.
The former Test great – and the cricketing public – was left no clearer about who would take Australian cricket forward.
But England are watching developments with interest as Strauss admitted on Friday that his old Ashes foe could be in the running to take over from Chris Silverwood, who left the post earlier in the week.
“I know him well and on the surface he’s done a very good job with that Australian cricket team so I wouldn’t rule him out (for the coaching job),” Strauss, who’s taken over temporarily as managing director of English cricket following the departure of Ashley Giles, said at Lord’s.
He did add, though, that “I’m sure there are plenty of others as well.”
On a day when Graham Thorpe also stepped down as England batting coach, Strauss added: “I personally feel someone with an outside view who can check and challenge the thoughts within the dressing room is a healthy thing.”
Buchanan, who coached Langer and oversaw Australia’s greatest era between 1999 and 2007, was disappointed in how it had been handled.
(Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images for the Australian Cricketers’ Association
“I just think Cricket Australia have really hung Justin out to dry, and whether they are going to reappoint him or not going to reappoint him, it’s just become a real saga and I really don’t understand why it has to be,” Buchanan told 4BC radio.
“When he came in, he was asked to do two things, and that was to fix the culture of the team, make the Australian cricket team a likeable team again.
“Play hard, play fair and win some games.
“It just seems to be a drama that didn’t need to occur.
“It’s a very difficult job but one that he has demonstrated over four years or so that he has coped with very well.”
Senior players have largely opted not to comment publicly on the issue, with Test captain Pat Cummins stating on Thursday that he didn’t want to add to the speculation.
But the skipper did admit on Friday that Langer would understandably want an answer as soon as possible.
Cummins also admitted he could understand why people would feel Langer’s extension should be a formality after Australia’s success, but said it was important to evaluate his position.
The key sticking point with Langer has long been more about his intensity off the field than Australia’s results on it, with reports that it has negatively affected players.
Tensions bubbled privately after last summer’s second home defeat to India in three years, creating pressure on Langer for the first time since he took over as coach in 2018 following the ball-tampering scandal.
james noor
Guest
He is a great man, but I don't know much about his coaching. Magento Development
Big fella
Guest
I’m looking forward to watching England’s new coach JL destroy us next ashes. And I’m looking forward to watching woke dumb Australian cricketers get rekt in Pakistan. Good times ???? karma’s a bitch.
Bighats
Guest
The question here has always been is JL the man to get the Aussie cricket team to the next level, as is been shown over the past 2 years "no he's not". This is not about JL or any individual. The team knows it can't progress with JL & that's why there's unrest. The team needs the captain & leadership group to run the show, no coach. Fresh start.
I think CA has taken to much notice of Cummings and Warner, maybe Smith too. Langer was put in to do a job and did it well. If some of the senior players dont like him, bad luck.
Guest
Langer was put in to do a job when Australian cricket was at one of its lowest points, he did the job well. If some of the senior players, Cummings, Warner and Smith dont like the way he coaches, CA should of pulled them into line.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Isn't there ODI's against Sri Lanka, or are they T20's. I can be bothered looking it up. There are two rounds of the State comp you can watch
Paul
Roar Guru
:laughing: I put it down to my keyboard. I'm sure it hates me.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
T20 is half day cricket.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Proper one day cricket? Right I see now. All of this must be due to the improper ones we've been having.
Ernest
Guest
Justin Langer has just resigned!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Gees Paul can't you spell $h!£ any more? You used to be pretty good...!
Don
Roar Rookie
Why wouldn’t CA be exploring options? 12 months ago it sounds like a swag of players couldn’t cop him to the point of mutiny. We won a 20/20 World Cup for the first time. A tournament that has zero relevance to Test cricket or even ODIs and has been won twice by the West Indies and once by Sri Lanka since 2007. We beat an English side that really played poorly and was dudded by their selections in a few matches. I’m of the thinking that had Joffre Archer been fit and toured we’d have had a real tussle. But still. Winners are grinners. Personally, having employed lots of personalities over the years and managed some that were too intense, dictatorial, stand-offish etc, even when you convince them to see the light and change, most revert back to type when under pressure. I’d suggest that there’s probably coaches in the wings equally as capable as JL and without the history of being the cause of major dissent amongst players.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
What a shame that is, tests will be next, all for the mighty dollar
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Unfortunately a lot of people now have as little feeling for proper one day cricket as you and I do for T20. And not just the young generation either. We are a dying breed, on the brink of extinction in fact.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Should play SL in one dayers, not T20 Does anyone other than our Indian friends really care about T20's?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Totally with ya Brendon.
U
Roar Rookie
Won’t somebody think about Justin Langer! How will he ever survive?
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Ahhh, makes sense, cheers
Paul
Roar Guru
There were supposed to be 3 ODIs against the Black Caps happening right now, but they were cancelled thanks to covid & travel issues.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure if I'm reading CA's fixture right, but is there no international one day games this summer? What the bloody hell is going on with Cricket in Australia, so all we get is an Ashes series and 5 T20 pieces of rubbish? Where's my one day series? Where's the good old tri series? I wouldn't watch a single minute of the tripe called BBL and so for people like me, there's been no cricket since the Ashes! Maybe some one that knows a bit more can confirm if there are one day Intl's this year? I can't see them on the fixture.
Paul
Roar Guru
I wouldn't have a Pom running the shop for different reasons, Don. Agreed their thinking is different, but my reason is simple; Langer is a better coach now than he was when appointed 4 years ago, so why not keep with him? If they dump him as appears likely, there are more than a few Aussie choices who could do the job, though who'd want it after this s**t fight?.