‘Important to keep looking to earn respect’ – Justin Langer

Justin Langer was always the most likely successor to Darren Lehmann as coach of the Australian men’s national team. Jason Gillespie might have had a good case too, but with Langer having played the understudy to Lehmann for a while now, he was always the frontrunner once Lehmann stepped down following the ball-tampering incident in South Africa.

The announcement came on Thursday 3 May, with James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia (CA) CEO, calling Langer ‘the right person’ to be in charge of the Australian team at the end of what has been a tricky few months.

“Whilst Darren Lehmann was not due to complete his term until next year, we have had a succession plan in place for this role for some time,” said Sutherland. “The plan has allowed us to consider several worthy candidates, but Justin was the clear standout, particularly based on his recent coaching and player development achievements.

“We firmly believe Justin is the right person to lead this team and have huge confidence in what he will bring to the role.”

Langer, seated alongside Sutherland in what was his first press interaction as full-time Australia coach, said, “It is humbling to be appointed as coach of the Australian men's cricket team. I would like to thank the Western Australian Cricket Association and the Perth Scorchers for their support over the past six seasons, and for giving me the opportunity to lead and work with two great teams and many exceptional people.”

The former opening batsman, now 47, played 105 Tests for Australia and scored 7,696 runs at 45.27 with 23 centuries. He retired in 2007, and has since made his mark as coach with Western Australia and Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, leading the latter to three titles.

As Sutherland mentioned, Langer has been involved with the Australian team in the past too, serving as assistant coach for three years from November 2009 and as interim head coach for a one-day international tri-series in the Caribbean in 2016 and a Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka in 2017.

“I'd like to especially thank my family for being with me on this journey and for supporting me in accepting this position,” added Langer. “I am very excited about the scope I now have to coach the country that supported me so much in my cricketing career.

“There will be some significant challenges ahead for our group, but there is a wealth of talent in Australian cricket that I know will do us all proud. I'm thoroughly looking forward to working with all players, as we strive for a successful men's team across all formats, with the support and respect of the Australian public.”

Of those challenges, at least the cricketing kind, Langer was clear on the item on top of the list: "The Indian Test tour in about three of four years' time, to me that's the ultimate because we will judge ourselves on whether or not we're a great cricket team if we beat India in India. I look back on my career and the Mt Everest moment was 2004 when we finally beat India in India."

His appointment came a couple of days after CA announced the composition of the player review panel into the culture in Australian cricket, to be headed by former Test opener Rick McCosker, of which Langer will be a part.

“The expectations are high in the Australian cricket team. We have got to make sure the behaviours are good. If we do that, I think the outcomes will look after themselves,” said Langer. “I think one of the things that's really important is that we keep looking to earn respect. To me, respect is worth more than all the gold in the world.

“We all know what the acceptable behaviours are. There is a difference between competitiveness and aggression and we've got to be careful with that. We look to encourage great cricketers, but also great people. So we if we can encourage great people and great Australians over the next four years, I think that's a really important foundation for us.”

Following the ball-tampering episode, Steve Smith and David Warner, the then captain and vice-captain of the team, were banned for 12 months each, and Cameron Bancroft, who was spotted by TV cameras using sandpaper on the ball during the Cape Town Test, was banned for nine months.

Langer said there was no question of the doors to the national team being closed on the trio.

“We'll learn from what's happened. They are great kids and it was such a surprise they made the mistake they did. But they are great kids, we have all made mistakes, we can all get better at things,” he said.

“If we can keep mentoring and helping them and they want to meet the standards of the Australian cricket team, then of course they'd be welcomed back.”

Langer’s first assignment will the limited-overs tour of England in June.