Justin Langer calls on former coach Bob Simpson as he searches for inspiration ahead of India Tests

Justin Langer has turned to the man who helped drag Australia out of its 1980s black hole for inspiration as he looks to revive a team similarly down in the dumps ahead of a tough India series.

Allan Border (L) and Bob Simpson (R) helped revive Australian cricket from some dark lows in the 1980s. Picture: Supplied

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Justin Langer has been inspired by the encouragement of the only coach in Australian cricket who can truly relate to what he’s going through.

Bob Simpson came into the coaching chair in the mid-1980s with the game in crisis.

Australia had gone four years without a Test series win and players were defecting to the South African rebel tours, leaving Simpson’s side in disarray.

Allan Border (L) and Bob Simpson (R) helped revive Australian cricket from some dark lows in the 1980s. Picture: Supplied

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But he turned them around with discipline and hard work and a brilliant natural eye for talent.

Langer debuted as a young player under Simpson’s mentorship back in 1993, but his appreciation for what the former Test great had done for Australian cricket has grown exponentially since he took over as a coach in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.

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The pair were reunited at a Bradman Foundation function in Sydney this week and as Langer prepares to lead his side up Mount Everest, he was given some sage advice from Simpson, now 82, not to try and change the world in one summer.

“I think I would say to keep it simple,” said Simpson.

“Don’t try and do the impossible. Look at what you can do in this particular moment so you can do it for longer.”

Players used to grumble at Simpson — the notorious hard task master — but beneath the surface there was enormous respect.

Langer says in his current predicament, with Australian cricket a “dysfunctional family”, he regards Simpson as an “inspiration”.

“He set the scene for what it means to be an Australian cricketer,” said Langer.

“Now I’ve taken over the role (he) once had (he’s an absolute inspiration. I hope I can do half the job (he) did back then with the Australian cricket team.”

Australian coach Justin Langer is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the India challenge. Picture: Getty

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Test great Ricky Ponting was Langer’s assistant for the mid-year ODI tour of the UK and gave a glowing assessment of the culture his former teammate had created — even though England whitewashed Australia 5-0.

Ponting agreed with Simpson that it would be a long road to get Australian cricket back to where it was, but reinforced that Langer was the man to do it.

“I’ve been around and worked with JL for the five one-dayers in the UK in June-July… (and although the results weren’t there), I can guarantee what I saw, witnessed, heard and watched, there’s no doubt in my mind that this Australian cricket team and every single one of its players that come into contact with him are 100 per cent on the right track,” said Ponting.

“Results aren’t there quite yet and I don’t expect that it’s going to happen overnight.

“It might be roll your sleeves a little bit longer yet. But I guarantee you, anyone who plays under him they’ll roll their sleeves up every day for Australia.”

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Originally published as Justin Langer calls on former coach Bob Simpson as he searches for inspiration ahead of India Tests