The Justin Langer Revolution
How the legendary batsman is slowly bringing pride back to the Australian Cricket team after one of its darkest chapters
When Cameron Bancroft pulled a tiny piece of sandpaper out of his pocket to tamper with the ball in the third test between South Africa and Australia in March 2018, he probably thought he’d gotten away with his attempt at match fixing. Unfortunately for him, it had been picked up by one of the many tv cameras in the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. whilst the impact of his actions wouldn’t be truly realised until the end of the days play, news of the scandal spread like wildfire around the world. It would be the most shameful chapter in Australian Cricket history.
The attempts to tamper with the ball brought the Australian team into disrepute. It cost coach Darren Lehman his job and Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner their places in the side. When new coach Justin Langer took up his position in May 2018, he inherited a team which had been at the mercy of the Australian public and media. No coach had taken over a squad which was so hated by the rest of the world, and he had his work cut out from the start.
His first series was a 5–0 defeat in an ODI series away at the old enemy England. From the first ball to the last, the hosts were better than the tourists at every step. The series will also be remembered for England setting the highest ever total in an ODI when they registered 481 runs in the fourth match of the series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Fast forward two years and Australia have retained the Ashes with a 2–2 draw in England, a World Cup semi-final appearance and have won three of their last four series. They also arguably have two of the best batsmen in the test game in their top/ middle order in Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Add this to a lightning quick bowling attack which, along with spinner Nathan Lyon, and you have all the pieces of a truly unbeatable side.
Langer could have been forgiven for not being able to turn around the fortunes of the Australian cricket team in five years, the fact he has been able to get the side moving in the right direction in two and a half is nothing short of a miracle.
When he took the job, Langer wanted to bring pride back to the Australian Cricket team. He wanted to remind the players what it is supposed to feel like to play for their country, and what it meant to be Australian. Which is why, before the 5–0 drubbing in England in 2018, he took the squad to the Somme battlefield in northern France to show them the graves of their forefathers. It was perhaps the reality check which a squad low on morale and popularity needed.
In 2021, Australia have rediscovered the hardened ‘true aussie’ grit which the side that Langer himself was a key member of played with. They have arguably the best bowling attack in the world, and at least two batsmen who could improve any batting lineup.
The Justin Langer revolution is a slow burner, but recent months have shown it is moving in the right direction. From an English perspective and with an Ashes tour on the horizon, this Australian outfit could be coming together at exactly the right (or wrong) time, depending on where your loyalties lie.
