'Brats Who Can't Accept They Were Outplayed' - Sunil Gavaskar Slams Australia for Blaming Justin Langer

Former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar slammed Australia's players for blaming coach Justin Langer's 'intensity and passion' for their 2-1 series loss to India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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There were reports that a section of Australia's players were unhappy with Langer's methods, which Gavaskar said didn't reflect too well on the team.

"The leaks to the media about Langer actually reflects badly on the Australian team as it portrays them as brats who can't accept they were outplayed and so need to shift the blame elsewhere,” Gavaskar wrote in a column for Mid-day.

"Stories planted in the media by the players or their agents or managers are making out that it was Langer’s intensity and passion that had the players under pressure and so affected their game. This is utter rubbish as once the players are out on the field, the coach can do nothing and the players themselves have to find the answers to the questions asked by the opposition."

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Gavaskar said the only thing Langer might have got wrong was the decision to bat first in the second Test in Melbourne.

"The one thing that they could possibly pin on the coach and the advisory group is the decision to bat first in the Melbourne Test match.

"Whether that was only the captain and senior players’ decision to bat first  or whether it was one that the coach Langer encouraged Tim Paine to take is not known but apart from that possibility, the Australians have nobody else to blame than themselves."

Meanwhile, Steve Smith had thrown his weight behind Langer.

"Absolutely, I think he's (Langer) done a terrific job over the last couple of years, I wasn't there the first year, but since I've been back I think he's done a great job," ESPNCricinfo quoted Smith as saying.

"He always wants to get better and that's all you can ask of anyone in the setup, whether it be a player or a coach, as long as you're striving to improve every day, then that's all you can ask.

"That kind of thing [split coaching] has been floated for a while for different formats and different teams and things like that around the world, not just Australia, so I think it'd be interesting.

"But Justin's got my full support at the moment, I think he's doing a terrific job and he has done for a few years, and I can't see it changing anytime soon."

• Border-Gavaskar trophy
• India vs Australia
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• India vs Australia 2020-21
• justin langer
• steve smith
• sunil gavaskar