Former Australia head coach Justin Langer has joined Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants as the head coach. The development comes only just an hour after the franchise released Andy Flower from the role, with the former Aussie opener offered a two-year contract in his first stint with an IPL franchise.
Flower, appointed in 2021, did a decent job with the Super Giants in his two seasons, propelling them to the playoffs. The 55-year-old worked with mentor Gautam Gambhir, who is likely to remain with the franchise. Morne Morkel, Jonty Rhodes, and Vijay Dahiya are also likely to continue in their roles of bowling, fielding, and assistant coaches, respectively.
Flower, who is also the coach of the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is currently in a consulting role for Australia in the ongoing Ashes series in England. In a statement released by the franchise, Langer stated:
"Lucknow Super Giants are on the journey of building a great story in the IPL. We all have a role to play in that journey and I am excited to be a part of the team moving forward."
Justin Langer possesses a rich coaching resume in T20 cricket:
While the 52-year-old will coach a team for the first time in the IPL, the West Australian has an impressive coaching resume in T20 cricket. The 105-Test veteran guided Perth Scorchers to three Big Bash League titles in four years. He was also at the helm when Australia lifted the T20 World Cup for the first time.
It's worth noting that Langer has also worked with Gambhir as the latter was trying to revive his international career in 2015. Following that incident, Langer hailed the left-hander's desire to work on his game at that late stage of his career.
