Melbourne: Despite having number of important upcoming engagements including two limited-overs tournaments and resumption of Ashes series against England, newly-appointed Australian coach Justin Langer has said that the tour to India three years from now remains an ultimate challenge for him.
Langer has replaced Darren Lehmann, who announced his resignation as head coach of Australia in the aftermath of the massive ball-tampering scandal that sent shock waves through the sporting world.
The 47-year-old will begin his tenure without the services of the nation’s two most successful and experienced batsman Steve Smith and David Warner, both of whom were handed a ban of one year by Cricket Australia for their involvement in the scandal.
Following his appointment, Langer though acknowledged important events between now and the scheduled India campaign, he insisted that the series win on Indian soil remains the pinnacle.
“We’ve got a World Cup, a T20 World Cup, a couple of Ashes (in 2019 and 2021-22) – I get nervous when I start thinking about it. There are some big tournaments coming up. But ultimately, if I fast forward it, the Indian Test tour in about three or four years’ time, to me that’s the ultimate,” cricket.com.au quoted Langer, as saying.
Rating the 2004 series triumph against India on their home turf as one of the most memorable moments of his 105-Test playing career, Langer said that the new-look Australian team could repair their tarnish public image by succeeding the Virat Kohli-led side in early 2021.
“We will judge ourselves on whether we’re a great cricket team if we beat India in India. I look back on my career, the Mount Everest moment was 2004 when we finally beat India in India. We’ve got to get better at playing overseas, we become a great team if we win overseas and at home so that will be something for us to aspire to,” he said.
While Australia will be eyeing to become only the second team from the country to succeed in India, they are also slated to play ICC World Cup in the UK next year followed by an away Ashes battle and World T20 tournament in 2020.
Langer’s maiden assignment as Lehmann’s successor will be next month’s Qantas Tour of the UK, comprising of five-match ODI series and a one-off T20I against England.
ANI