After Pat Cummins and company suffer an embarrassing loss in the first Test, an Australian great recalls “previous head coach” Justin Langer.

Australia was defeated severely by India on Saturday in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur by innings and 132 runs. In the first innings, Team India defeated Australia by 223 runs thanks to a century from skipper Rohit and valiant half-centuries from all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Pat Cummins and company were then outscored for only 91 runs in the second inning, with lead spinner Ravichandran Ashwin taking five wickets. Jadeja and Ashwin, who together took fifteen wickets in the match, spun a web of spin around the visitors.

Contrary to strong predictions made by some former Australian cricketers, who believed Pat Cummins’ team would win the series, the outcome of the first Test came as a huge surprise. Damien Martyn, a former cricketer for Australia who won Player of the Series honors during his team’s 2-1 series win against India in 2004 (the last time Australia won a Test series in India), seemed taken aback by the most recent outcomes. Martyn remembered the late Australia head coach Justin Langer on Twitter by using the hashtag “#justinlanger,” who had led the team to multiple successful outcomes.

Australia won the 2021 Global Cup and went on to become the T20 world champions under Langer’s leadership. He also contributed to Australia’s 4-0 Ashes victory over England in 2021–2022. On the eve of Australia’s humiliation by India in the Nagpur Test, Martyn decided to commemorate him due to his reputation and excellent tenure as coach.

Twitter users’ responses to Martyn’s tweet, however, appear to imply that it may also serve as a reminder to the current generation of Australian cricket players, including captain Pat Cummins, who were engaged in the painful resignation of Langer as a coach. It is significant to remember that before he retired from the position in February 2022, allegations of an alleged conflict between Langer and Australian stars about the coach’s haughtiness had been released.

All-rounder Jadeja, who returned to international cricket after overcoming a knee injury, was named Player of the Match in the meanwhile. He took seven wickets and scored 70 runs in the game, turning up a remarkable all-around effort.