Former opener would welcome back Warner, Smith and Bancroft
Thursday 3 May 2018 15:41, UK
New Australia head coach Justin Langer has vowed to earn back the public's respect as they attempt to rebuild their tarnished reputation.
Langer has been appointed on a four-year contract as the replacement for Darren Lehmann, who stood down in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.
Former Test opener Langer - who played 105 Tests - has said he would welcome back Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner following their suspensions if they were "willing to meet the standards of Australian cricket".
At his first press conference since being confirmed as the new national coach, Langer said his focus would be on earning back respect for the team both on and off the field.
"To me, that's worth more than all the gold in the world," he said.
"We look to encourage great cricketers but also great Australians and great citizens. Over the next four years, starting from day one, that's really important.
"The public will be disappointed if we don't play good, hard, competitive cricket, but that said, we can also modify our behaviours so it's not angry or overly aggressive.
"There's a difference between competitiveness and aggression, and we have to be careful about that."
As for whether he would consider allowing Smith, Bancroft and Warner to return to the team once their suspensions had been served, Langer added: "One of the key values for me is learning from the past.
"When I think about Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith, they love the game of cricket more than anyone I know and they are great kids. That's why it was a surprise they made the mistake they did. We've all made mistakes.
"David Warner is the same. He's a really great young bloke.
"This will be a really important message: if they are willing to meet the standards of the Australian cricket team, I think everyone has a place."
But Langer also suggested the loss of three of the team's key performers could strengthen the side in the long term as they will be forced to experiment with new players.
"It's hard to replace those runs and that experience but it's a very good opportunity," he said.
There's a difference between competitiveness and aggression, and we have to be careful about that.
"Over the next 11 months, there's a chance for some of the guys to take their opportunities.
"If you want to sustain success, you've got to have depth. The next 11 months give us the opportunity to make us even stronger."
Australia's next tour is to the UK this summer, with warm-up games against Sussex and Middlesex followed by a five-match one-day international series and a one-off Twenty20 match against England in June.
