Justin Langer Takes Break, Andrew McDonald To Coach Australia In India

Fresh off a stunning home season, Australia will tour India later this month for a three-match ODI series. Barring the washed out T20I against Pakistan, Australia won each and every game at home this season. The season started with a 3-0 win over Sri Lanka in T20Is and was followed by 2-0 win over Pakistan in the same format.

It was followed by five consecutive Test wins (2-0 against Pakistan, 3-0 against New Zealand). High flying Australia will now look to continue the same form when they take on India in the ODIs. The last time they had visited India, they had stunned the Men in Blue by winning the T20I and ODI series.

Last year, Australia won the T20Is 2-0 before winning the ODIs 3-2 after losing the first two games of the ODI series. With both the teams in good form at the moment, the upcoming series promises to be a cracking affair.

No Justin Langer:

Australia head coach Justin Langer has taken a short break from coaching and will thus not accompany the team to India. In his absence, assistant coach Andrew McDonald, who is also the head coach of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royal Royals, will take charge of the tream.

McDonald had joined Langer’s backroom staff in October 2019 and has been given the freedom to take a break while he does coaching in franchise cricket. McDonald has had a successful stint as coach at different levels and would hope to continue his run with the international team as well. He has also worked with Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL but he is the head coach at Rajasthan Royals.

Meanwhile, this is the first time that Justin Langer has taken a break from coaching. He had joined Australia’s coaching staff in May 2018 and has had a successful stint so far.

The first ODI of the series will be played in Mumbai on January 14. The next two ODIs will be played on January 14 and 19 in Rajkot and Bengaluru, respectively.

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