Australia head coach Justin Langer must change his coaching style if he wants to continue in his role, an end-of-season review of cricket Down Under has warned.
A source-based report in the Sydney Morning Herald said, the 50-year-old was given a “strong and straightforward” feedback — taken from 40 players and support staff — about his coaching style as part of the team’s regular end-of-season reviews.
Earlier this year, after an under-strength India came back from behind to hammer Australia 2-1 in their own den, some players had expressed dissatisfaction over Langer’s management style because of his intensity and mood swings.
Langer’s response to the feedback across the rest of the year will decide whether he will be handed a new contract.
“This is effectively identical to the process undertaken before the last World Cup and the 2019 Ashes where the team performed strongly,” CA’s national teams boss Ben Oliver said in a statement to the publication.
“It’s part of our ongoing commitment to on-and off-field improvement and we expect it will have a similar benefit in the team’s preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup and home Ashes,” he added.
Assistant coach Andrew McDonald received good reviews with players, saying he was more approachable.
“In contrast to reports from the dressing room during the Australian summer, players spoke glowingly in public of the mood and team environment under McDonald, whom members of the Test side had gravitated towards due to his more approachable manner.”