Justin Langer will continue to welcome banned duo David Warner and Steve Smith back around the Australian cricket team he likened to a dysfunctional family when he first took charge.
Serving their time: David Warner and Steve Smith have been playing Sydney grade cricket.Credit:Seven News
Warner made a surprise cameo in the SCG nets before the T20 international on Sunday to face the quicks, while former skipper Smith appeared two days later.
Rather than wait to rush the pair back into action once their bans for ball-tampering expires next March, Langer was happy to make it a gradual transition.
Definitely, I think we have all got to get together, Langer said. When I first took over Western Australian cricket it was like a dysfunctional family and what I meant by that then, the media hated the team, the team hated them back, club cricket hated the WACA, the WACA hated them back, the past players hated the WACA, the WACA hated them back.
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[Were] probably feeling that a bit now in Australian cricket, theres a lot of angst and for someone who is passionate about Australian cricket and now the coach, I like harmony. I like family.
“A lots gone on, lets not shy away from that, but the closer we can bring the family back together, you would say a dysfunctional family … you think about the ACA and CA, the public and the team, the media and the team, its a bit disjointed at the moment, the more we can bring it back, the more harmony you get, the happier environment for everyone. And that includes the boys.
Langer said he caught up in person with Warner before the team flew to the UAE for the Test series against Pakistan.
Its one thing exchanging text messages and emails, you have to talk face to face. We had a great catch up, he said.
“It was the first time Id seen Steven the other day, I wanted it to be between us because theres lots to be spoken about and then over time well bring the brotherhood together and everything will be OK. It was great.
Langer said the lengthy bans for Smith and Warner and Cameron Bancroft had been felt long before the Test series was about to start on local soil.
Weve felt it since the moment of the sandpaper [incident], Langer said. Then we felt it in England, we felt in the the UAE and we felt in the last three one-dayers against South Africa. Were all feeling it.
Christian covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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