Former Australian Coach Justin Langer lashed out at Cricket Australia over his February axing, while accusing players of not being upfront with him early enough. In an interview on the Back Chat podcast, he attacked unnamed “cowards” who he asserted leaked against him and assumed some players were not clear about their feedback.
Langer praised former Test captain Tim Paine’s feedback but claimed others, including Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch should have been up earlier.
“I spoke to Pat Cummins. He said to me about five times, ‘This might be brutally honest,” Langer was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo. “I said, ‘Pat, there is nothing brutal about your feedback. What is brutal is I’m hearing it behind my back through the media or through sources. No one’s telling me. Tell me. People say that I’m very intense, but they’re mistaking intensity with honesty.”
‘There are no cowards in the Australian team’- Pat Cummins
Australian Captain Pat Cummins broke his silence on the saga surrounding Langer. Cummins responded to the cowardly claims on Tuesday, 24 hours before the first Test against West Indies in Perth. Australia will also be hosting South Africa for another test series.
“There’s no cowards in an Australian cricket team, not ever. I’d probably never disclose private conversations. I think it’s disappointing sometimes the focus gets drawn to off-field issues but it hasn’t really affected our team.” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Langer tried to clarify his comments and said that the players are like my younger brothers, perhaps a sign of rectification. Cummins also welcomed the clarification with a good sportsman spirit.
“I think there’s no ill will to what he was trying to do and he clarified afterwards,” Cummins said at Optus Stadium with the ‘Justin Langer Stand’ in the backdrop. I think he had a think about it and clarified it, so thank him for that. But we’re really proud of the last 12 months, how we’ve fronted up, the way we’ve played, the way we’ve conducted ourselves. Players can certainly hold their heads high.”
