"Timing has got to be right" - Justin Langer on the prospect of coaching Team India's men's side
Former Australian Test cricketer Justin Langer reckons timing is important when it comes to taking on a coaching role for Team India, given it is an exhausting and high-pressure job. The West Australian, who has vast coaching experience, sees it as an exciting opportunity but knows previous coaches will have felt the same way about the task.
Langer has emerged as one of the contenders to replace Rahul Dravid as the men's team's coach. The 53-year-old has served Australia for years and also has had stints in the Big Bash League (BBL), leading Perth Scorchers to multiple title wins.
Speaking at a presser after Lucknow Super Giants' win over Mumbai Indians, Langer feels the prospect to coach India is exciting, but suggests that the timing is currently not right. He said:
"It would almost be the biggest job in cricket — being the head coach of the Indian cricket team. One, because of the huge volume of cricket, the huge expectation. It would be a great challenge. It would be great fun and it would be a wonderful opportunity to win ICC titles. But with all these things, the timing has got to be right.
"I did four or so years with the Australian cricket team. It is all-encompassing. It is exhausting. Rahul Dravid will probably tell you the same thing and Ravi Shastri will probably tell you the same thing. The pressure on winning for the Indian team is massive."
The 105-Test veteran has done a decent job with the Super Giants in IPL 2024 after replacing Andy Flower in the role but has failed to lift them to the playoffs.
"Best domestic competition in the world" - Justin Langer on IPL
The former left-handed batter recently heaped praise on IPL, likening it to the World Cup, given the competition and the skill level of the players. He said:
"I would say categorically — it is the best domestic competition in the world. I can't get over how tough the competition is. There's so many good players. There's so many good teams. There's so much pressure on performance. I guess the biggest thing is, it is just really tough cricket. It is like a World Cup."
Saturday's fixture between RCB and CSK will determine the fourth team to qualify for the playoffs in this year's IPL.