It is hard to believe but it is true. Langer’s resignation leaves Australia in meltdown. It has hardly been a month since they won The Ashes. Three months since Australia won the World T20 and just about 2 months since Cummins was appointed the captain. Former players have attacked Cricket Australia and Cummins for the way Langer’s appointment or the lack of it was handled. Everyone who has ever played with Langer has laid into Cricket Australia with disdain. What I am not able to understand is that why lay into Cricket Australia when it was Langer who decided to quit?
Langer in the middle of the storm
Langer was in the middle of the storm just a few months ago following his aggressive coaching stint over the last few years. Anyone who has watched the Amazon Prime show The Test, was clearly able to see the firm school principal type coaching methods of Langer. His overbearing attitude and his intolerance to a couple of failures were wide open for all to see. He did not tolerate dissent nor was he accommodative of the opinion of others.
Things really tumbled down after the series defeat to India in 2020. Langer, the support staff and the players had lot of discussion amongst themselves and from then on, Langer told the players that he will be less intense and open to suggestions which seemed to have brought the team together. They proved that with twin victories at the World Cup and The Ashes.
However, things have again gone into a tailspin since then. Langer wasn’t happy with a short term contract extension and that he wanted to be the coach for a very very long time. Now, Langer has resigned because the negotiation with Cricket Australia wasn’t a success. Langer did not wanted to continue for a short time and decided to leave.
Langer’s statement
“Last night I was offered a short-term contract until the end of the T20 World Cup in Australia, with the sentiment of ‘going out on a high’. After careful consideration I have decided not to accept this contract renewal, and as a result I believe it is in everyone’s best interests for the Australian cricket team to begin the next chapter immediately.
“If media reports are correct, several senior players and a couple of support staff don’t support me moving forward, and it is now apparent the CA board, and you Nick, are also keen to see the team move in another direction. I respect that decision.”
My inference
Langer himself says that several seniors is against him. If most of the team members did not want Langer to continue, it essentially means that he has lost the dressing room. I am sure these tensions were simmering below the surface but the players had to bide their time because of the lack of positive result. The World T20 and The Ashes gave them that cushion and now the tensions have come out into the open.
This is not new. Langer knew about player resentment more than 10 months ago. He must have left at that point. Nevertheless, negotiations were held and Langer and the players continued till the Ashes. With the Ashes won, Langer must have immediately tendered his resignation. He must have left on a high which he didn’t. He choose to wash dirty linen in public.
What is even more damaging is the reaction of the former players. Most of them have played with Langer and that shows in their reaction.
Mitchell Johnson chose to direct his anger at the hapless Cummins
“He had plenty of public opportunities to endorse an extension for Langer. So when he let it through to the keeper every time, it became pretty obvious he didn’t want it to happen.
“Cummins holds a lot of power and must have been central to what’s happened. He’s clearly had an agenda to get in a coach he wants. His recent interviews have been gutless by not respecting his coach when he could have been upfront from the start.”
Michael Clarke, one of the most respected former captain says,
“My advice to Patty is he has got to stand there. He needs to tell the fans where he sits on this because everyone thinks it is Patty who made the decision. That accountability sits with him.
Adam Gilchrist says,
“Absolutely, there seems to be some disunity there. I don’t think the players would have pushed so hard both privately to CA and clearly, I could not tell you if players were doing (it) or player managers, but feeding information to the press. There was a concerted push to have Justin out of the positions.
Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden have all blamed Cricket Australia for the way things have panned out. All of them powerful voices with years of experience, World Cup winners with multiple Ashes to boot. When men with such pedigree speaks, the whole country listens.
Maybe the success was because Langer took the backseat
However, did any of these former greats think before they heaped insults upon Cummins and CA? Apparently not. Here is a player with a clean image and someone who wants to play the game by the rules and not resort into abuse and just 4 tests old since becoming the captain is targeted by these players when he must be supported. He is trying to create a legacy where Aussies play the game with respect towards their opponents. Something that was missing for a very large part of their history. He requires everyone’s support but instead he is criticised for things that may never have been in his control.
Did any of these past players stop to think that perhaps the success of the last few months was because Langer took a backseat and let the players express themselves? The players finally started to enjoy the game and that showed in the results. Australians inherently are a sports loving country and they do not require an intense coach who will only complicate matters. If only Langer had left few months ago or after the Ashes, no one would have had anything to say. For me, it just felt like Langer wanted everyone to talk about why he left and the reasons behind it. For someone who retired from the game when no one expected just after winning the 2007 Ashes 5-0, this was not what was expected of Langer.