Justin Langer says he hasn’t heard from anyone at the ECB over the vacant England Test head coach role which he has been linked with, but the Australian hinted at being interested.
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, the former Australia head coach labelled that job, as well as India and England as the biggest in the sport, adding: “It’s a career and everyone looks at all opportunities.”
Brendon McCullum was removed as England’s Test head coach earlier this month after a run of seven defeats in nine, while the early favourite to replace him, Andy Flower, turned down the role citing his current coaching commitments with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and London Spirit in The Hundred.
Langer, who is also involved in the The Hundred, leading the Manchester Super Giants, has also been touted as a possible successor, although The Telegraph have reported that he’s not one of the ECB’s shortlisted candidates and he himself insists he has yet to be contacted.
“I haven’t, no,” he said. “I haven’t heard from anyone. It’s all paper talk, all hypothetical.”
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Southern Brave and Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis says Justin Langer’s work ethic would make him a good choice if selected to be England’s next men’s Test head coach.
Langer, who earned 105 Test caps for his country from 1993-2007, added: “I’m passionate about the game of cricket, but particularly Test cricket.
“I see now with franchise cricket, it’s awesome, but we’ve got to have Test cricket. It must keep thriving for the health of the game – and so that’s why I say about the three big countries [Australia, India, England] and why it’s important they keep going strong.
“When it comes to coaching, it’s a career and everyone looks at all opportunities.”
Ben Stokes’ retirement? I’ve heard all the counter arguements, but I thought ‘respect’. I think when you’re a player who has done what he has for England, a great warrior, I think go out however you want. That’s my honest view.
McCullum has been retained as England’s white-ball head coach, meaning the job will again be split from the Test team.
“My personal view has always been that if you’re the head coach of Australia you should oversee all of it,” Langer said.
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Stuart Broad shares his thoughts on who could take over from Brendon McCullum as head coach of the England Test team.
“It can work [split jobs] if you have the right people. They’ve got to get on very well, be on the same page and have the same thinking. And alongside the director of cricket [Rob Key], they’ve got to fit like a glove.
“We’ve seen that with Andy Flower and Ashley Giles [for England], and McCullum and Matthew Mott to a degree.
“It’s complicated, with T20 cricket, white-ball cricket. I would say there will be some teething issues for Baz and whoever he does it with.
“If they work well together, it could work, but there haven’t been too many examples where it has.”
Langer recorded 15 wins, 11 losses and 5 draws in his time in charge of Australia, which included retaining the Ashes in England in 2019 with a 2-2 series draw, before a 4-0 triumph in the Covid-impacted return Down Under in 2021-22.
He resigned in acrimonious circumstances in February 2022, just a few weeks after the comprehensive win over England, amid claims he fell out with senior players.
