Langer under pressure to change his coaching style
May 27, 2021
Sydney [Australia], May 27 : Australia men's cricket players are moving towards taking greater control of the dressing room as a robust end-of-season review has highlighted that head coach Justin Langer needs to change his ways.
The review was done by players and support staff, and as a process, Langer was given a strong feedback about his coaching style and team manager Gavin Dobey was also given a straight-forward talk, reported Sydney Morning Herald.
After Australia suffered a 1-2 defeat against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, there was dissatisfaction with Langer's intense management style.
It was also revealed that frustration at the team was brought down by the coach's shifting moods. The end-season-season review comprises of opinions of upto 40 players and support staff.
"This is effectively identical to the process undertaken before the last World Cup and the 2019 Ashes where the team performed strongly," Sydney Morning Herald quoted CA's national teams boss Ben Oliver as saying.
"It's part of our ongoing commitment to on- and off-field improvement and we expect it will have a similar benefit in the team's preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup and home Ashes. Tim is again assisting us as he has in the past with gathering feedback and insights from players and staff. It's always a thought-provoking and energising process which we get great value from," he added.
A second review process was conducted by leadership consultant Tim Ford and it will reaffirm the players' intent to take more ownership of the side.
Ford went on to interview players virtually towards the end of the home season and their responses will be kept anonymous. He asked every member for their thoughts on team values and what needed to be updated.
Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, and Aaron Finch will now be presented with this end-season report next week. Langer will also be receving the feedback from Ford's report.
Ford was hired by Cricket Australia two years ago to facilitate the reintegration of Steve Smith and David Warner into the side after their ball-tampering bans.
Australia will next take on West Indies in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year.
