Justin Langer opts out of India head coach race after KL Rahul's 'pressure and politics' advice

Justin Langer declines India coaching

Former Australian opener Justin Langer has opted not to pursue the position of India’s head coach after receiving an advice from KL Rahul. Langer, who coached Australia for four years, was recently involved with the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024. He was considered a candidate for India’s head coach role, which will become available after the T20 World Cup 2024.

With current coach Rahul Dravid’s contract ending after the ICC event and reports suggesting he is reluctant to continue, the BCCI has already started inviting applications for the position.

Alongside Langer, other high-profile names such as Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming and Delhi Capitals’ Ricky Ponting have been linked to the job. However, Langer has decided against applying.

“It would be an awesome job, but not for me at the moment,” Langer told BBC’s Stumped Podcast. “I also know that it’s an all-encompassing role, and having done it for four years with the Australian team, honestly, it’s exhausting. And that’s the Australian job.”

Langer mentioned that advice from LSG captain KL Rahul about the intense pressure and politics involved in coaching Team India influenced his decision.

“You never say never. And the pressure of doing it in India, I was talking to KL Rahul and he said, ‘You know if you think there’s pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand, coaching India’. That was a good bit of advice, I guess,” he revealed.

Langer is not the only prominent figure to decline the opportunity. Ponting recently stated that his current “lifestyle” does not allow him to commit the necessary time, while Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Andy Flower expressed his contentment with franchise cricket and will not be applying.