Uncertainty remains over Justin Langer as Cricket Australia plan further talks

Justin Langer’s fate remains unknown after the Cricket Australia board met on Friday but were unable to end six months of speculation about his future in the head coach role. After a marathon seven-hour meeting in Melbourne, the board failed to reach a resolution on the main item on the agenda.

“Cricket Australia can confirm that the CA board met today and part of that meeting involved significant discussions about the men’s head coach Justin Langer’s contract,” a statement on Friday evening read. “We will now enter confidential discussions with Justin and the outcome will be announced as soon as possible.”

Langer’s contract was due to expire in June, and it was always Cricket Australia’s intention to address his future once last year’s T20 World Cup and the recent Ashes series had been completed.

Both trophies were banked, but despite his on-field success, Langer’s old-school, direct style of man-management has been under scrutiny since a meeting between senior players and CA CEO Nick Hockley last August.

During Langer’s time as coach since May, 2018, Australia have won 15 of 27 Tests, including retaining the Ashes in England for the first time in 18 years. In all, he has been the second most successful coach in the country’s history, behind only John Buchanan with wins in 55.5% of Tests.

It was after last summer’s second home defeat to India in three years that the pressure first began to mount on Langer. White-ball series losses in West Indies and Bangladesh only added to that, before the situation seemingly reached boiling point last August amid claims he was too intense.

It prompted high-powered meetings between senior players and cricket administrators, with Langers agreeing to loosen his grip on the team.