'Pathetic': Shane Warne tees off over Justin Langer 'disgrace'

Shane Warne has launched a scathing attack on Cricket Australia (CA) after describing the governing body's handling of the Justin Langer coaching saga as "pathetic".

Langer resigned last week after being offered a mere six-month contract extension despite leading Australia to the T20 World Cup title and a 4-0 Ashes romp.

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Past players, including Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, and Matthew Hayden, have lambasted CA for its handling of the situation.

Warne has become the latest to weigh in, with the 'Spin King' offering perhaps the most vociferous spray for CA.

“To treat the head coach the way they have, it’s an absolute disgrace what they’ve done,” Warne said on the Follow-On podcast.

“All of us who have played with Justin, we are not coming out because he’s our friend or a great cricketer or a Hall of Famer. We are coming out because it’s the treatment of the coach.

“Forget it’s Justin Langer. It’s just the treatment of Cricket Australia and the way they have handled the coach of the Australian cricket team. It’s been pathetic.”

Langer helped spearhead a culture shift in Australian cricket after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, that saw the Aussie Test side earn back the respect of the public as they returned to No.1 in the world's Test rankings.

“We were finally starting to see the integrity coming back to the Australian cricket,” Warne added.

“It’s not a great Australian cricket team we are talking about here. But all that Justin Langer put in over three or four years, we are just starting to see the rewards for his hard work. His brutalness, his intensity and his kick up the backside to the players. You know why? They needed it!

“If they can start doing this for another five or six years. Not to lose at home, beat India away and beat England away. Then we might start talking about this great Australian cricket team. But they aren’t at the moment.

“If they didn’t like his style and he had lost the dressing room, well, they better start performing. They have to perform.”

Langer's demise came about after widespread reports of player unrest, with the coach's intense management style central to the issue.

Shane Warne takes aim at Aussie players

Warne also took exception to the idea that player power forced Langer's exit, after none of the current Test squad came out to publicly endorse a contract extension for the 51-year-old.

“I don’t think the modern day player takes criticism very well,” Warne said.

“I think they are very sensitive. If you say they should leave someone out or they aren’t performing, then they hate you suddenly.

Warne pointed to his own experiences with John Buchanan - the coach who presided over the most dominant era in Australian cricket - to illustrate his point.

“When we had John Buchanan, half the team didn’t like him. That’s a fact.

“We never spoke to the ACB. We respected the position. We respected the person. We might not have liked him and asked him out for dinner, but we respected the position and treated him accordingly.

Aussie captain Pat Cummins has found himself in the firing line over Langer's exit, with former skipper Michael Clarke urging the fast bowler to tell the truth about the coach's demise.

"The Australian public aren't stupid and this is my point with Pat Cummins," Clarke told the Big Sports Breakfast.

"Patty needs to come out and make his opinion very clear.

"I saw Mitchell Johnson's comments, he smoked him. I think a lot of people are thinking what Mitch is thinking.

"My question is how much involvement did Pat have? Did he want this change and, (if so), why? Bring on accountability.

"When you lose, that's on you as captain. If this is what Patty wants, respect to him but he's going to have to take the hits as well."

with AAP

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