Justin Langer should be my successor: Darren Lehmann

Darren Lehmann picks his successor

Australian Cricket Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann said that Australia have a readymade replacement for him when he decides to step down. Having signed a contract extension with Cricket Australia till 2017, it is unlikely he is going anytime soon, but anointed former Australian cricketer Justin Langer to be his successor.

Langer, who had a stint with the Australian team as a batting coach and mentor in 2009 under Tim Nielson, has been the coach of Western Australia and Perth Scorchers since 2012. He helped the Scorchers win back-to-back titles in the KFC T20 Big Bash League.

“Langer will make a very good Australian coach”

Lehmann said, “I believe he’ll (Langer) be the next coach of Australia. He’s done a fantastic job and he should be very proud of what he’s achieved in WA.

“He’s always ringing and asking questions and we’re always throwing things at him as well and asking him for different ideas. It’s a really united feeling in the Australian setup now where the state coaches are a very important part of what we’re trying to do.”

The Australian coach said that Langer’s experience – he played in 105 Test matches – will help him as a coach.

He continued, “And a guy who’s played over one hundred Test matches – you’d be mad not to take his advice. From our point of view, we respect him very highly.

“One thing I do know about this job is that you can’t do it for a long period of time because you’re away 270-300 days a year. It is the best job in the world and, one day, I’m sure JL (Langer) will make a very good Australian coach.”

“Hussey’s and Langer’s knowledge is second to none”

Lehmann was also adamant in preventing former Test great Michael Hussey from replacing Duncan Fletcher as India’s coach, insisting Hussey should stay in the Australian system.

“We’d love Mike Hussey involved in Australian cricket full stop,” he said. “Whatever he decides, it’s obviously his decision with his family, but we don’t want to lose any of our greats to anyone else to be perfectly honest.

“We want them (Hussey and Langer) in the system teaching our guys because they’ve recently retired – they’ve played the game at the highest level at all formats and their knowledge is second to none.

“Those guys, they did their apprenticeships (by) playing so long for their country. The knowledge they have – they’ll be great coaches.”