"If I were England, I'd be jumping at him" - Shane Warne on Justin Langer's availability as head coach
Former Australian great Shane Warne has urged England to make a move for Justin Langer as the head coach of the men's team. The Victorian also weighed in on the omissions of Stuart Broad and James Anderson for the West Indies tour, saying the former merited a spot.
Langer is one of the most sought-after coaches today, having tasted considerable success with Australia. The West Australian helped Australia retain the Ashes in England for the first time in 18 years along with winning the T20 World Cup and a convincing home Ashes victory.
Brought in during a time of crisis, Justin Langer leaves his role as Australia's head coach with a T20 World Cup and an Ashes win 🏆
How would you rate his tenure at the helm? 🤔
Speaking to Sky Sports, Warne believes Langer is the right candidate to coach England as he did an excellent job with Australia. The 52-year old reiterated his thoughts on Cricket Australia and the team for treating the former opener poorly.
"If I were England, I'd be jumping at him. Winning an Ashes and a World Cup, it doesn't get much bigger than that for Australia. But for me, Langer was a dead man walking when I didn't hear the captain or any other players sticking up for him, saying he was fantastic. I found that really disappointing."
"Why couldn't Cricket Australia come out and say they were not renewing his contract straight away but would wait until the end of the summer, see who the best candidate is and if Langer is still the best candidate, give him a contract? I thought it was pretty poorly handled and that Cricket Australia were disgraceful in the way they handled it."
Following the Ashes, Langer and Cricket Australia met to discuss the former's future. After a lengthy meeting, the 105-Test veteran stepped down and declined a short-term contract extension. Assistant coach Andrew McDonald has filled in as the interim head coach.
"I wasn't surprised Anderson got left out" - Shane Warne
Warne also felt that the selectors were justified in dropping James Anderson for the three-Test series in the West Indies. The cricketer-turned-commentator thinks Anderson tends to struggle for wickets when the conditions aren't suitable. He said:
"I wasn't surprised Anderson got left out. He is England's best-ever bowler and when the conditions suit he is still a handful. But when it was flat in Australia, I think he struggled. He bowled a nice line and length, was economical and could dry up and end and could do a role with firepower at the other end."
"But I think he needs conditions. You want him to play in England and if he plays in the West Indies after the Ashes series, it is going to be hard in England so I don't mind him having a break - but I would have played Broad."
Sir Andrew Strauss has revealed why James Anderson and Stuart Broad aren't in England's Test squad for the tour of West Indies.
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In dropping England's two most prolific wicket-takers, ECB's interim managing director Andrew Strauss said the side want to build for the future. However, he has urged the pair to gear up for the home summer.