Australia head coach Justin Langer has on Friday (July 9) admitted that he is hurt by the criticism ever since an injury-ravaged India thrashed Australia 2-1 in the four-match Test series at home early this year.
But still, he has said that he would like to continue doing the job if Cricket Australia (CA) offers him a second stint.
In January 2021, Australia lost the home Test series to an under-strength India under Ajinkya Rahane and since then the questions have been continuously raised on Langer’s position, and even captain Tim Paine was also heavily criticized along with the head coach. The Australian players are also allegedly not happy with Langer and his coaching style and mood swings.
Langer – who is currently in West Indies for a five-match T20I series and three ODIs – had replaced Darren Lehmann as Australia head coach in 2018 after the ball-tempering scandal in South Africa.
Ahead of the 1st T20I in West Indies, Langer said: “Some of the things I was reading were a bit confusing actually. If I'm completely honest I was really hurt by some of it. The feedback I've been given for three years has been overwhelmingly positive of the role that I've been able to play as a coach.”
He continued, “If the board and the CEO and high performance manager believe I'm the right person to keep leading us forward, absolutely. I absolutely love my job. I didn't like losing to India in the amazing series, no one likes losing.
I'm absolutely committed, I love my job, I love the Australian cricket team, I love the players and I love Australian cricket. They're the things I value most in my life. Hopefully, I've done a really good job the last three years, that's been the feedback. Long may that continue?”
The former cricketer also refused to rate himself as a “great coach” and his team as well, saying they working on it as they are aiming to have a great outing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and the home Ashes series against England later this year.
Langer signed off by saying, “We're not a great team yet and that's what we're all aspiring to. Like I'm aspiring to be a great coach. I'm not a great coach yet, I'm aspiring to be a great coach. I'm working towards it and I hope all the players are doing the same thing.”
(With PTI Inputs)
