Justin Langer: "When Mikey (Michael Holding) says what he says, it's certainly worth listening to. In terms of taking a knee, to be completely honest, we could have talked more about it perhaps leading up to the first game"
Tuesday 15 September 2020 11:54, UK
Australia head coach Justin Langer admits his side should have given greater consideration to taking a knee on their tour of England, following criticism from Michael Holding.
The West Indian great has used his platform this summer to take up the cause of the anti-racism movement and rebuked England and Australia for not making the symbolic gesture as had happened during the previous series against the West Iindies and Ireland.
England paceman Jofra Archer confronted the issue head on, saying Holding had not "done his research" and reiterating his team's solidarity with Black Lives Matter, but Langer took a conciliatory tone.
Langer said: "When Mikey says what he says, it's certainly worth listening to. In terms of taking a knee, to be completely honest, we could have talked more about it perhaps leading up to the first game.
"There was so much going on leading up to us getting here, maybe we should have talked more about it. What we do talk about within the team, was that we want to have a response that is sustained and powerful, and that it can go not just in one action but a sustained period. Not just throughout this series and the summer but throughout time.
"I just hope if it looked like there was a lack of respect, it wasn't the intention of our team. We were very aware of it."
Steve Smith is recovering from his head injury but is no certainty to be recalled for the one-day series decider against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Langer added.
Smith missed the first two matches after being hit on the head by a ball in the nets last week and is expected to have his fitness assessed again in training.
"He is definitely tracking in the right direction and we are hopeful he will be right for [Wednesday]," Langer said.
"He did all his running [on Monday], some high-speed running, worked hard as part of the protocols. He has ticked every box at the moment."
England won the second ODI on Sunday by 24 runs to level the three-match series after the visitors, chasing a modest target of 232, suffered a dramatic collapse.
Australia opener David Warner has struggled for form, scoring six, six and a duck in his last three innings of the white-ball tour, including the T20 series.
He has been dismissed in all four matches he has played by Jofra Archer, who has now taken the left-hander's wicket seven times in 10 internationals, including three in last year's Ashes.
"It's been a great contest, hasn't it?" said Langer.
"Davey, he is a superstar. He is an incredibly important part of our side, so I am sure he is working overtime to certainly be up for [Wednesday] night's game."
