Mike Hussey has warned Australia’s cricketers about being distracted by the ongoing friction between Justin Langer and Cricket Australia following an explosive interview this week.
Months after being pushed aside at Jolimont, and just days out from the first Test, Langer spoke out against the CA board and players that leaked against him during his tenure, who he called “cowards”.
Outside of a stern response from chief Nick Hockley, who said Langer’s comments contained multiple “inaccuracies”, CA and its players have been silent in response to the interview.
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Speaking to foxsports.com.au on Thursday, Hussey said it’s clear that Langer hasn’t yet moved on from the saga.
Nonetheless, he added that players can’t afford to be drawn back into the controversy so close to the first Test against the West Indies, starting on Wednesday.
“The timing of it is probably not ideal,” Hussey said.
“(Langer’s) obviously still upset about how it all went down, and maybe it could’ve been handled a better from a Cricket Australia perspective.
Langer unloads on ‘coward’ Aussie’s | 02:24
“My sense is the players have been pretty quiet on it all. They’ve sorted moved on, they just want to move on.
“There’s no point making it a distraction for them. They can’t afford to make that a distraction for them.
“They’re going to get asked about it but they’re just going to have to focus on their preparation for the Test.”
In the interview, Langer said he was aware of people talking to the media behind his back, and was upset it took so long for Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch to come forward.
“Everyone was being nice to my face but I was reading about this stuff, and half of it … I could not believe that is what was making the papers,” Langer told the BackChat podcast.
“A lot of journalists use the word ‘source’. I would say, change that word to ‘coward’. A coward says, not a source. Because what do you mean ‘a source says’? They’ve either got an axe to grind with someone and they won’t come and say it to your face, or they’re just leaking stuff for their own agenda.”
It is the second summer in a row that off-field drama is circling the Aussie camp days out from the first Test, following on from last year’s Tim Paine sexting scandal.
Langer took a backwards step after crisis talks in mid-2021, and Australia went on to win the T20 World Cup and the Ashes 4-0.
Nonetheless, Langer was only offered a six-month contract extension in February, which he turned down.
