Australia news: Ian Chappell blasts ‘Justin Langer PR machine’

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has come out in defence of Cricket Australia and current skipper Pat Cummins after Justin Langer left his position as coach.

Langer quit as Australia coach on Saturday after CA only offered him a six-month contract extension.

In the days following Langer’s decision to walk away from the job, various former players came out in defence of the ex-Australia opener, while being critical of the current players and the governing body.

The major criticism with the players is that none came out in support of Langer, with new Test captain Cummins receiving the brunt of it.

A large number of ex-players from Langer’s home state, Western Australia, particularly some of his ex-teammates, came to Langer’s defence.

But Chappell doesn’t agree with the sentiment that Cummins and co. are to blame.

Cricket Australia easy targets

“It’s easy to lambast Cricket Australia because they are not very good, and it was only to be expected, their reaction,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports.

“But what annoys me is two things – the fact Pat Cummins, who has probably been as honest as you can be in this sort of thing, that he’s copped a bit of a pasting… and the Justin Langer PR machine has been at work, and in a lot of cases that’s been believed.

“They (former players) are going to do what they’re going to do, that is entirely up to them.

“To me the important thing is Cricket Australia have got to ask two questions when they appoint a new captain… firstly say to him ‘do you want a coach?’, and in every case nowadays people will say yeah they want a coach. In that case ask ‘OK, who do you want?’

“And within reason I think the captain has got to get the coach that he gets on with, and works well with.

“I just don’t understand why a captain isn’t going to have any input into the coach. Why, for instance, do you appoint a new captain and then he’s got to have the previous coach? He doesn’t get any say in it, well that’s bollocks in my opinion.

“Pat Cummins will know a lot more about cricket than the (administrators) at Cricket Australia on the board. Pat Cummins would know more about cricket than most.”

Former all-rounder Andrew McDonald has been appointed interim coach and is expected to lead the side during their historic tour of Pakistan next month.