Coaching India biggest job in cricket, it's exhausting: Justin Langer

With Rahul Dravid set to step down as India's head coach, there have been speculations as to who would take up the job next. The BCCI have given candidates up to May 27 to apply for it. Many, including Justin Langer, have been tipped to take over, but the former Australia head coach, while acknowledging the magnitude of it, says it would be exhausting.

“It would almost be the biggest job in cricket — being the head coach of the Indian cricket team,” Langer responded when asked if the BCCI had approached him.

“One, because of the huge volume of cricket, the huge expectation. It would be a great challenge. It would be great fun and it would be a wonderful opportunity to win ICC titles.

“But with all these things, the timing has got to be right. I did four or so years with the Australian cricket team. It is all encompassing. It is exhausting,” said the 53-year-old.

“Rahul Dravid will probably tell you the same thing and Ravi Shastri will probably tell you the same thing. The pressure on winning for the Indian team is massive. I'm sure the next person who gets the job will be really looking forward to the project."

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ended Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 17. 

KL Rahul may have scored his fourth fifty of the season, but his 55 came off 41 deliveries. Rahul Has always been criticised for his strike rate, but Langer, who is the LSG head coach, does not see this as an issue.

“I've heard the criticism, but you know, everyone does it differently. We can't all have, often if you play at a strike rate of 160 or 70 — it is very high-risk cricket,” Langer said at the post-match press conference.

“The game is evolving, and he will evolve, and players will have to keep evolving. We've seen that with the opening partnerships in the powerplays this year. I mean, the strike rates have been extraordinary, right?”

“He, like the great players, will keep evolving. All the best players and best coaches keep getting better. He'll keep doing that."

While acknowledging IPL as the biggest T20 tournament in the world, Langer also likened the competition to a World Cup. “I would say categorically — it is the best domestic competition in the world. I can't get over how tough the competition is. There's so many good players. There's so many good teams. There's so much pressure on performance,” he said.

“I guess the biggest thing is, it is just really tough cricket. It is like a World Cup. It is honestly like the same sort of pressure as a World Cup, and I've been to a few World Cups now.

“That's a great credit to the IPL that we're able to keep producing such fun, entertaining, evolving cricket in front of a capacity crowd with noise every game. And there's a game on every night.  “I'm sad to go home. I'm going home at the weekend. I'm actually really sad to go home. I've loved it that much,” he added.

This is the first time LSG have failed to make it to the playoffs after finishing third in the last two seasons.

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