Australian head coach Justin Langer dodged a bullet during a press conference on Thursday when asked about criticism over Ravi Shastri. He said that it was none of his business while saying he is glad if India are feeling any stress.
Justin Langer Reply for criticism over Ravi Shastri
A lot of criticism has come on Shastri’s way following India’s eight-wicket defeat to Australia wherein India were bundled out for 36 in the second innings.
“None of my business. I have had enough with stress. I empathize with the opposition and I know what it feels like. If India are feeling any stress, I am glad they are and not us over the Christmas weekend,” Justin Langer said in a virtual media press conference.
Langer further said that he has enormous faith in Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine and in his leadership qualities.
“You think about Adam Gilchrist, I guess, who transformed the game in a sense, and that is why Adam Gilchrist is an all-time great player because he transformed the game. I have got enormous faith in Tim Paine,” Langer said.
“…whether it’s his wicket-keeping, his captaincy, his batting, I have said publicly and privately for almost the last year, he is our most important player, because he is a lead wicket-keeper, his leadership on and off the field is incredible,” he said.
“….we saw he can play, how well he batted in first innings under pressure in Adelaide, probably changed the game actually with the run-out of Virat Kohli, so he is a great player, a great leader and I literally love having him in our team,” he said.
Australia would be looking to carry the winning momentum and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series despite suffering a massive blow in which key opener David Warner was ruled out of the Boxing Day Test versus India, scheduled to start from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
