Melbourne: Former Australian coach Justin Langer believes the “chopping and changing” in the side leading up to the ICC T20 World Cup at home was not the right way to go ahead of such a big event, and it could have played a big role in Aaron Finch’s side’s premature exit.
Australia, who were the defending champions, could not make it past the Super 12 stage, with the biggest blow coming from Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand who thrashed them by 89 runs in the opening group game on October 22.
“Leading in, Australia were chopping and changing a bit, giving people the opportunities, not necessarily the right way to go about it but that’s just the way it worked out and giving some guys some rest,” Langer, who remained Australia’s chief coach for almost four years until his departure post the team’s success in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE and the 4-0 Ashes triumph at home, told sen.com.au.
Despite two major achievements to boast, Langer lost the support of his players because of his alleged micromanagement of the team and the senior players reportedly not happy with his style of coaching. The former Australia opener was offered a six-month contract renewal until the T20 World Cup, but the legendary cricketer chose to depart.
Langer’s assistant coach Andrew McDonald took over the reins and has since overseen a historic Test triumph in Australia and the T20 World Cup debacle at home.
Langer felt that for a team to click in a global tournament several things need to go right.
“Yeah, a lot has to go right,” said Langer to SEN WA Breakfast. “I said before this series started, like winning an AFL Grand Final or NRL Grand Final, in a World Cup everything has to go right and everything didn’t go right for Australia, unfortunately. They’ll (team) be disappointed.
“There was a lot of discussion about the lead-up and from afar it looked like it should have been the perfect lead-up coming into the summer, lots of T20 cricket and get on a roll. There was a bit of chopping and changing coming into the series, but they’ll be disappointed, no doubt about that. They’ll have to brush themselves off and get ready for the next one.”
Langer felt it was a huge opportunity for the likes of the young Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh to step up and be counted.
“How I see it now is it’s another huge opportunity for Cameron Green and another huge opportunity for Mitch Marsh, the all-rounders,” Langer stated. “They’re both destructive players, Glenn (Maxwell) isn’t there (due to a broken leg), they’ll have to step up in the field (too). He (Maxwell) is their best fieldsman, he brings energy to the group, he brings that off-spin option too. Australians have got a bit to think about, it’s a huge opportunity for those other guys (in the upcoming series against England at home).”
–IANS
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