'Painted as a monster': Adam Gilchrist lets rip over Justin Langer exit
Former Aussie wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist is the latest great to slam Cricket Australia over how they handled Justin Langer's departure as coach.
Many former players and captains including Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Steve Waugh, Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke have been vocal in their opposition to the way Langer was treated.
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Johnson was particularly critical of current captain Pat Cummins and the way he stayed diplomatic during the period.
Now, Gilchrist has added his name to the list of legends that have taken a swipe CA's approach to the situation.
And the former wicketkeeper and close friend of Langer was scathing.
Gilchrist said while he isn't part of the inner circle of the camp, he thinks a number of staff and players clearly wanted the coach out.
“Absolutely, there seems to be some disunity there. I don’t think the players would have pushed so hard both privately to CA and clearly, I could not tell you if players were doing (it) or player managers, but feeding information to the press. There was a concerted push to have Justin out of the positions," he told SEN Radio.
Adam Gilchrist went one step further and accused CA of painting Langer 'as a monster' during the ugly period before the coach left his role.
“Since then, through to now where every day he is being painted a certain way, painted by particular people as a monster. That is not Justin Langer," he added.
“He’ll be the first to admit he has his frailties, his areas of weakness. But geez, he’ll sit with you and look you in the eye and sort it out. He’s being painted as a monster.
And the former wicketkeeper said the way he has been painted wasn't fair on Langer or his family.
“I think it’s quite reckless and some of the decision making over a long period of time has been fuelled by greed and it really leaves me staggered.”
Michael Clarke calls for Pat Cummins to break silence
CA's boss has since come out to defend the Aussie captain and insists he was just one of a number of people consulted in discussions about Langer's future.
However, former Australian captain Clarke says it's now up to Cummins to set the record straight and give cricket fans an honest and open opinion about Langer's exit.
"Patty needs to come out and make his opinion very clear,” Clarke told The Big Sports Breakfast.
“Cricket Australia have to allow him to be open and honest, otherwise he will be blamed for this. A lot of people are smashing him for this.
Johnson claimed that by failing to back his coach, Cummins had "failed" his first big test as Australian captain.
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