Australian head coach Justin Langer resigns after being offered short-term extension

SYDNEY: Australian cricket team head coach Justin Langer resigned from his post on Saturday, unhappy with the short-term contract extension offered by Cricket Australia (CA) after a marathon seven-hour board meeting.

Following the 51-year-old former Australian opener turning down the offer of a short-term contract extension, former all-rounder Andrew McDonald was installed as interim head coach.

Langer's fate had been hanging in a balance for the last six months, and while he later guided Australia to its maiden ICC T20 World Cup title triumph in the UAE in November last and helped them win the Ashes 4-0 recently, CA only offered him a short-term contract extension.

On Saturday, the 51-year-old's management group confirmed their client had resigned "effective immediately", which means he will not serve his full term till June 2022 and will not travel with the Australian team for the Test and One-day International (ODI) series in Pakistan in March-April.

A report in cricket.com.au said on Saturday that Langer had spoken with CA officials on Friday night "after his future was discussed at length at a seven-hour board meeting earlier in the day. Cricket Australia (CA) later revealed that Langer had been offered a short-term contract extension, which he rejected."

"Cricket Australia has accepted men's team head coach Justin Langer's resignation, which was received today," a CA statement read. "Justin was offered a short-term extension to his current contract, which sadly he has opted not to accept.

"CA would like to thank Justin for his outstanding leadership since he became Australian men's team coach in 2018 and for guiding the team to the T20 World Cup title last year and the 4-0 Ashes victory. Justin is not only a legend of the game but an outstanding individual," the statement added. IANS

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