Mitchell Johnson blasts 'gutless' Pat Cummins as cricket legends react to Justin Langer bombshell
A host of Australian cricket legends including Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting have criticised Cricket Australia's handling of Justin Langer's contract extension after the coach officially walked away from the job.
And retired fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has laid the boot squarely into new Test captain Pat Cummins for failing to endorse Langer in the lead-up to his shock resignation on Saturday.
"Cummins might have delivered with the ball during the Ashes series, but he has failed his first big test as captain pretty miserably," Johnson wrote for The West Australian.
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"He had plenty of public opportunities to endorse an extension for Langer. So when he let it through to the keeper every time, it became pretty obvious he didn't want it to happen.
"Cummins holds a lot of power and must have been central to what's happened. He's clearly had an agenda to get in a coach he wants. His recent interviews have been gutless by not respecting his coach when he could have been upfront from the start."
Prior to Langer's decision to walk away yesterday, his future had been up in the air for several months, with almost constant speculation over whether or not he would not be offered a new contract.
It was confirmed he walked away from the role after being offered just a six-month contract, with a coaching change to follow on after that, regardless of results.
In an emotional interview with ABC Radio yesterday, Hayden said it was disappointing "no one backed him" while taking aim at Test captain Pat Cummins for his comments regarding the influence of high-performance reviews.
Justin Langer Getty
"I'm sorry Pat, I do not agree with that one bit," Hayden said. "This was not a healthy process.
"The whole thing just reeks of being orchestrated.
"It's such a leaking boat this so-called high-performance culture within cricket, there's no inner sanctum anymore. It was absolutely clear that no one backed him.
"I mean if you just listen to the Australian captain the other day, not mention once any kind of commendation or support from him. That would be extremely hurtful."
Meanwhile, Ponting said it was another example of Cricket Australia poorly handling "some of the better people in Australian cricket".
"I think it's a really sad day as far as Australian cricket is concerned," Ponting said.
"And if you look back, it's been a really poor six months.
"I think of the way that Cricket Australia as a whole have handled some of the better people in Australian cricket - Justin Langer and Tim Paine - I think it's been almost embarrassing with the way they've handled those two cases."
"Me knowing Justin the way that I do, he was very keen to continue in the role, as he should have been after what's been the best coaching period of his international career having just won the T20 World Cup and then the 4-0 result in the Ashes.
"It seems like a very strange time for a coach to be departing.
"Reading the tea leaves it sounds like a few — and as he says to me a small group in the playing group and a couple of other staff around the team — haven't entirely loved the way he has gone about it.
Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson questioned whether history would repeat itself for the coach who replaces Langer.
"I'm pretty angry," he said. "There's been a lot of disrespect.
"Not every player is going to like the same coach ... so what does that mean for the future?
"Each time a player doesn't like a coach, will we be back at square one again?"
The decision also came as a shock to many fans, with many of cricket's pundits and leading voices all weighing in on the situation.
Spinner Brad Hogg was one of many to take to social media.
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