AUS v NZ 2020: "There's always room for improvement", Langer gives Australia 8/10 for home summer 

Australia has had a great run since retaining the Ashes in UK last year.

Australia dominated Pakistan and New Zealand at home | GettyAustralia may have ended the home summer with a clean slate over Pakistan and New Zealand and consolidate its position just behind numero uno India in the World Test Championship points table but head coach Justin Langer believes, while Tim Paine & company ticked off a few important boxes, there is still plenty of room for improvement as the side goes deeper into its campaign this cycle. 

"One was cementing our top three, and I think we've done that," Langer reflected upon the season in which Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne successfully replaced out of form Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja. 

Read Also: Ponting picks Australia's squad for next Test assignment after great home summer 

"The second one was winning after winning – we had to get better at that. I think we did that right throughout the summer, so there were some really positive signs and long may it continue," he added. 

Langer, having overseen a busy but very happy period since retaining the Ashes in UK, will now take a little break from his duties and be replaced by assistant Andrew McDonald for the short limited-overs series in India. 

"We had our review of the summer earlier this morning, and what's interesting and relevant is the continuity of the team as much as the balance of the team," he said. "We've been able to keep the guys together. We've obviously got an excellent fast bowling attack, we've got the best off-spinner in the world (Nathan Lyon), we've got two of the best batsmen who have played for Australia (David Warner and Steve Smith) and … Tim Paine is the best wicketkeeper in the world. His wicketkeeping this summer has been unbelievable."

"The fielding yesterday, I think everyone who was watching (thought that) was absolutely incredible, the energy, and it's actually led by the captain because of his incredibly high standard in the field – his wicketkeeping is just brilliant."

"When you have all those bases covered, it means you've got a very good cricket team. We're still working towards having a great cricket team, but we've got a very good cricket team at the moment."

However, with difficult tours to Bangladesh and South Africa, either side of a home series versus India, awaiting, there is absolutely no scope for complacency. "We dropped a few catches, (missed) a few run outs, a few of the boys got starts they would have liked (to produce) hundreds," Langer said. "There's always room for improvement. After the Ashes, we needed to get better. You'd probably give us a seven out of 10 after the Ashes – (now) eight out of 10. So hopefully we're improving – that's a good sign."

Lastly, Langer heaped effusive praise on Labuschagne for being the team's brightest spot in the season gone by. "It's probably an understatement saying it was a breakthrough summer (for him) – that was amazing," Langer said. "It's a great credit to his mental and physical endurance, and it's a great credit to his humility that he's been able to stay so grounded through it all."

"Marnus loves it so much he'd do it for nothing, and they're the sort of guys you just love having around your group. It's just been so much fun watching his development as a player. He's got some great traits, but he's just starting off in the side," the coach added. 

"We hope all our players develop their leadership, so when the time comes to need to find a new captain, we've got a number of guys who could take on the role. He might be one of those guys."

(Inputs from CricketNext)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 07 Jan, 2020

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