The Australian cricket staff has shed extra mild on what led to Justin Langer’s departure as coach, revealing gamers have been “walking on eggshells” round him.
Cricket Australia and Langer mutually agreed to half methods final February after gamers expressed considerations over his teaching model and Langer rejected a decreased contract extension.
It got here as a shock, given Australia had received the T20 World Cup for the primary time and retained the Ashes with a dominant 4-0 sequence win over England at residence.
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Both of these triumphs occurred underneath Langer’s watch, though many consider his successor Andrew McDonald was successfully in control of the staff after Langer was informed to chill his intense teaching model.
Now the complete extent of Langer’s passionate methods have been detailed within the second season of the documentary sequence The Test, which premieres on Amazon Prime on Friday.
“There was plenty of guys who don’t speak up, who don’t talk, and were afraid of JL,” Usman Khawaja says within the documentary.
“That’s the truth.”
Nathan Lyon described Langer’s teaching model as an emotional rollercoaster.
“I’ve always said you can never criticise someone who is extremely passionate in what they do, and that’s exactly what JL is,” Lyon stated.
“Did I struggle with some of the ups and downs? Yeah. Probably the biggest feedback from myself was just emotional levels (from) JL.”
Warner stated: “People express passion in different ways and his was riding every ball.”
Ashton Agar added: “It was sort of at the point where JL realised he had to pull back massively and he did that.”
“Players and staff really crave consistency,” Australian captain Pat Cummins stated in The Test.
“Over the last couple of years, there were times when the environment just wasn’t that.
“Some people felt like they were walking on eggshells.
“The players wanted to create their own environment and it’s us taking responsibility for the team.”
The gamers stated Langer took a again seat and did all the pieces requested of him, however they have been clearly anticipating a change.
“JL was given feedback from the senior players in our group around certain things they wanted him to improve on I guess as a coach,” Mitch Marsh stated.
“He listened and he did everything that was asked of him as the playing group.”
Khawaja added: “I genuinely believe that JL brought humility back into the Australian cricket team.”
Speaking to news.com.au forward of the documentary’s premiere, gamers have been reluctant to criticise Langer by identify, as a substitute emphasising Andrew McDonald is the best coach for now and praising the tradition of the present Australian staff.
The staff raved about their mantra of “own your space”, which refers to permitting each participant to be themselves and prepare and put together how they wish to, even when which means not warming up.
“I felt like certainly since Andrew McDonald came in it’s been probably a little bit more like that compared to prior,” Marnus Labuschagne informed news.com.au.
“It’s been a great environment for a long time now over the last couple of years and I think that’s continued now with Andrew and Pat in charge,” Mitchell Starc stated.
“Just the freedom to express yourselves as players and people off the field. It’s shown on the field as a group. To see the smiles on faces and the enjoyment of the group and each other’s success.
“The performance we’ve put on over a number of series now speaks to that.”
Cummins stated: “If you’re in the Australian cricket team, you know your game pretty well.
“You know what makes yourself tick. You’re not dealing with kids.”
Langer featured closely within the first season of The Test, coming throughout as a demanding coach within the mould of a stern English soccer supervisor.
But he isn’t interviewed within the second instalment — the gamers are entrance and centre, which is probably a mirrored image of them taking “ownership” and “responsibility” for the staff.
Labuschagne insisted neither Langer or McDonald’s teaching types are “wrong or right”, however merely swimsuit completely different groups at completely different phases.
“It’s just different,” the Australian No. 3 batter stated.
“Two different paths. Two different people going about coaching in a different way. There’s never a wrong or right.
“I think for this team and right now, Andrew McDonald’s done a great job in creating a comfortable space for everyone to go about their business.
“But this is a much different to the team that first played in 2019. So it’s hard to go, ‘would this approach have worked back then?’ Maybe, maybe not.
“But right now for this team, the approach we have now is really balancing well.”
Australia wrapped up an unbeaten summer time at residence, sealing 2-0 sequence victories over the West Indies and South Africa.
The subsequent activity is a frightening tour of India subsequent month earlier than an away Ashes sequence within the UK.
Australia hasn’t received a sequence in India or England in 20 years.
Originally printed as ‘Walking on eggshells’: Australian gamers have been ‘afraid’ of Justin Langer
