Justin Langer’s coaching future: Andrew Strauss welcomes England link

Langer, a long-time friend of Strauss through their playing days at Middlesex, will have discussions with Australian cricket officials today to sort out his future.

If he fails to come to terms with Australia and was interested in coaching England, Strauss hinted he would be given due consideration.

“I know him well and on the surface he’s done a very good job with that Australian cricket team so I would not rule him out,’’ said Strauss, who has taken over temporarily as the managing director of English cricket following the resignation of Ashley Giles.

“I personally feel someone with an outside view who can check and challenge the thoughts within the dressing room is a healthy thing. I’m sure there are plenty of others as well.’’

On Thursday England sacked its coach Chris Silverwood who was on the wrong end of a 4-0 Ashes series in Australia 24 hours after parting ways with director of cricket Giles.

Silverwood took over from Australian Trevor Bayliss whose name has been floated as a possible successor to Langer while English cricket commentators, led by Michael Vaughan, are calling for that country to swoop on Langer in the belief his hard-nosed approach is just what that team needs.

Langer may yet have the final call on his Australian future which remained on knife’s edge after a marathon board meeting in Melbourne on Friday.

Cricket Australia announced their board had “significant discussions’’ over Langer’s contract at an eight-hour meeting.

“We will now enter into confidential discussions with Justin and the outcome will be announced as soon as possible,’’ Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said. “We have no further comment until then.”

There was unconfirmed speculation the West Australian may be offered a short term deal but, if this is the case, it will be up to Langer whether he accepts revised terms and that is far from a formality.

Langer has been urged by his former coach and mentor John Buchanan to walk away if he cannot coach on his terms. The coach’s four-year deal expires in June.

Australia’s Test cricketers know now the shape of the tour in Pakistan and that it does not include a warm-up game, but things they do not know include the small matter of whether Langer is their coach.

If Langer cannot agree to terms he will spend March at home and not go to Pakistan.

The board was also presented with the five candidates on the short list to be the next chair.

Even if Langer is offered an extension he may choose to walk away after being exposed to an unnecessarily protracted period of uncertainty and criticism.

The lukewarm support of senior players, including Test captain Pat Cummins, has taken its toll and Langer flies home to Perth today to see his family for the first time since September last year.

Australia look set to fly to Pakistan around February 26 and have abandoned the idea of playing any type of tour match ahead of the three Tests.

Instead, players from Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and NSW have the option to play in the Sheffield Shield which recommences with two games starting February 9.

Tasmania and Western Australia do not have a game before the plane leaves which means players from that state, including exciting young all-rounder Cameron Green, will have no game practice before the first Test which is currently scheduled for March 3.

The complicating factor for players like David Warner, Steve Smith, Cummins and Mitchell Starc is they also have a T20 series against Sri Lanka

Players were keen to keep the length of the tour short but entering a Test series without a proper warm-up — as England did this summer — is an unusual approach.

Cummins indicated on Thursday that some still have concerns about returning to the country which Australia has not toured since 1998.

“I think we’ll get close to a full-strength squad,” Cummins said. “There is still a little bit of work to do. We have received a lot of information and it has been great. All the pre-tour security and biosecurity work has been done and it’s been fantastic.

“There are a couple of players still keen to get a bit more information but everyone is really pumped and feeling relatively comfortable. If anyone doesn’t make the tour it is absolutely okay, we will back them for sure.”

The Sheffield Shield fixture released Friday is uneven and will rely on a percentage system to ascertain the trophy winner as administrators and players battle with the fatigue of biosecurity bubbles and the frustrations of border closures.

Queensland is scheduled to play a total of nine matches for the season, Tasmania and South Australia eight, while New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia will play seven under the revised fixture

“Whilst Cricket Australia want to maximise the number of matches played in pivotal domestic competitions, the health and wellbeing of participants is a priority,” Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations Peter Roach said.

“Our domestic competitions are among the strongest in the world, and we want teams to have the opportunity to field their best squads, and players and staff to have the opportunity to be at their best when given the opportunity.

“For these reasons, the decision was made and supported unanimously by stakeholders to complete the domestic competitions under the revised playing conditions and schedule.

“We look forward to the domestic season getting underway safely and thank the States and Territories for their flexibility and understanding as we navigate scheduling challenges.”

Originally published as Justin Langer’s coaching future: Andrew Strauss welcomes England link