The Australia cricket team had a summer they would like to forget, as a full strength team were beaten 2-1 by an Indian side that were constantly ravaged by injuries. The series loss, that included a first Test loss at The Gabba in Brisbane in nearly 33 years, has increased the levels of scrutiny around the players as well as the coaching staff. Now it turns out that, in a somewhat bizarre incident during the final Test in Brisbane, that Australia coach Justin Langer had barred a player from carrying a toasted sandwich in his pocket to have as a snack on the field.
Given the incident that took place at Newlands in 2018, telling a player to not have anything in his pockets would appear to be good avice. It seemingly did not go down well with the player but despite that, Langer degended the move by saying the optics around it were far from idea.
“You’re walking on against India, we’re trying to win a Test match and one of our players walks on with a toasted sandwich in his hand. I spoke to [the player] about it at length yesterday. I said, ‘How do you reckon it looks, mate?’ Is that not something I should say,” Langer told The Sydney Morning Herald.
However, there are bigger issues at play. The Herald report states that a number of players have grown tired of Langer’s intense style of coaching that borders on micromanaging.
One of the things that also allgedly irked players was the fact that fast bowlers were bombarded with statistics during the lunch breaks at The Gabba. Langer dismissed the idea of him talking to bowlers using stats.
“It’s actually the opposite of what happens. I never talk about statistics to the bowlers, ever. I don’t go to any of the bowlers’ meetings. That’s what the bowlers’ coach is meant to be doing.
“I don’t do any of that. I never, ever, ever speak to any of the bowlers about any of that sort of stuff. And the learnings of the last few months are I should start looking at that more.”
Australia’s next assignment will see them go on a tour to South Africa for a three-Test series. (news18)