Justin Langer quits: Ricky Ponting hits out at handling of Australian coach’s exit

Player power was a major factor in Justin Langer’s messy exit as Australian coach and there’s a strong view on who led the revolt. See the full fallout here.

Twenty days after pulverizing England’s brittle batsmen in the final Ashes Test, Australia’s bowling cartel claimed another scalp.

That was the firm view of some players inside the national dressing room on Saturday after coach Justin Langer resigned.

Cricket Australia tabled a puny contract extension to Langer that he was never going to accept on the back of player feedback.

LANGER QUITS: GET THE LATEST NEWS ON AUSSIE COACH’S EXIT

The mess has left plenty shaking their heads.

“So the players who were responsible for the degradation of Australian cricket are now the ones calling the shots?” a source in Australian cricket told News Corp.

Sections of Australian cricket have accused the “Cricket New South Wales mafia” of undermining Langer, pointing out that Neil Maxwell is a director at Cricket NSW and also manages Australia’s bowling captain Pat Cummins.

Ricky Ponting described Cricket Australia’s handling of Tim Paine and Langer’s departures as “poor and embarrassing”.

“Never in my time as a player did we, as a playing group, influence what a board was thinking as far as appointments,” Ponting told ABC Radio.

“If it‘s not just (Cummins), if there are other players that are coming to him to let him know that they feel Justin’s not the right man, then I think that puts Pat in a difficult position.”

Langer’s manager, James Henderson, described the detractors as “a faceless few”.

An emotional Matthew Hayden had two words of advice for future Australian cricket coaches: Good luck. You’ll need it.

Ricky Ponting says Justin Langer’s exit as Australian coach is a sad day.

Hayden was angered, shattered, frustrated and bewildered in equal parts after the betrayal of his great mate and long-time opening batting partner.

“I’m just disappointed because I feel there has been this undermining of him for some time,’’ he told News Corp.

“It hasn’t just come from players. Even the media has worked hard to try and find ways to destroy Justin’s reputation and career.

“If there is a better person out there good luck – you would want to have you back protected because no-one is going to back you. If you are not going to back Justin Langer, who are you going to back?

“I don’t sense there is a great leadership base right across the game. It is an area of real concern for our great game in our country.

Disgraceful treatment of Langer.
Would love to know what Langer's KPI's were when he took over the basket case left from South Africa?
He left Australian cricket on top of the world from disaster. Great job mate.#Leadership#cricket#ICC#cricketaustralia

— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) February 5, 2022

Still haven’t heard how a private and confidential meeting between the Australian cricket coach and high ranking @cricketcomau employees can get out??? #Australia#nothingchanges#cricketpic.twitter.com/M2wOwPYheL

— Damien Martyn🏏 (@damienmartyn) February 3, 2022

The way that he handled the criticism, the way the board was talking about his style. He shut his mouth and got better.

“We still haven’t got a chairman of CA. There is so much uncertainty around the place and Langer is the one certainty.

“He is Mr Dependable. I am left with a great big sense of confusion and disappointment about why he is not being heralded by his players and captain. It just leaves me with so many questions rather than answers.

“It is very difficult to understand. Maybe in hindsight we will get more information but I will not be holding my breath.”

Hayden told ABC Radio that Cummins’ refusal to support Langer would’ve been “extremely hurtful”.

“It was absolutely clear that no one backed him,“ Hayden said.

Matthew Hayden could not beleive the lack of support for Justin Langer

How do you reckon he’d be going? To hear the Australian captain on Sunrise offer no support and commendation. How would you feel?

“And now we hear Pat Cummins saying, ‘This is a high performance environment, we all go through a high performance review’.

“I’m sorry Pat but that’s garbage … this just reeks of being orchestrated.”

Mitchell Johnson said: “I’m pretty angry. There’s been a lot of disrespect. Not every player is going to like the same coach. So what does that mean for the future? Each time a player doesn’t like a coach will we be back at square one?”

Originally published as Justin Langer quits: Ricky Ponting hits out at handling of Australian coach’s exit