Justin Langer, the former Australian captain and most recent head coach of the Australian national side, revealed on the "Stick to Cricket" podcast that he has not yet been approached by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the vacant England Test head‑coach position. Nevertheless, the Australian hinted that the role – which he described as one of the three premier coaching jobs in world cricket alongside the posts in India and England – is something he would consider if the opportunity arose.
During the interview, Langer emphasized that a coaching career is a profession in which one must keep an eye on all possible openings. "It's a career and everyone looks at all opportunities," he said, underscoring that top‑level coaches routinely evaluate offers from the sport’s biggest cricketing nations.
He noted that the England Test job, together with the head‑coach positions in India and Australia, represent the pinnacle of the coaching ladder because they involve the most historic and high‑profile Test sides. The vacancy at England came about after Brendon McCullum was dismissed earlier this month following a dismal stretch of results – seven defeats in nine Tests – that left the team languishing at the bottom of the world rankings.
The New Zealander, who had been appointed only a year earlier, remains in charge of England’s white‑ball programmes, meaning the board will now again separate the responsibilities for Test and limited‑overs cricket. Initially, Andy Flower emerged as the frontrunner to replace McCullum, but he turned the offer down, citing his existing commitments as head coach of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise in the Indian Premier League and his role with London Spirit in The Hundred. With Flower out of the running, speculation has turned to a range of potential candidates, including Langer, who is currently the head coach of the Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred competition. Despite the media chatter, Langer made it clear that he has not received any formal contact from the ECB.
"I haven't, no," he said. "I haven't heard from anyone. It's all paper talk, all hypothetical." He added that, while he enjoys being involved in franchise cricket, his true passion lies with the traditional format of the game. Langer, who earned 105 Test caps for Australia between 1993 and 2007, spoke at length about the importance of preserving and strengthening Test cricket.
"I'm passionate about the game of cricket, but particularly Test cricket," he explained. "I see now with franchise cricket, it's awesome, but we've got to have Test cricket. It must keep thriving for the health of the game – and so that's why I say about the three big countries [Australia, India, England] and why it's important they keep going strong." He also shared his view on the structure of coaching roles within a national set‑up.
"My personal view has always been that if you're the head coach of Australia you should oversee all of it," Langer asserted, arguing that a single head coach should have responsibility for both the Test and limited‑overs sides to ensure a unified strategy and consistent culture. However, he acknowledged that a split arrangement can succeed if the individuals involved work closely together and share a common philosophy. "It can work [split jobs] if you have the right people.
They've got to get on very well, be on the same page and have the same thinking. And alongside the director of cricket [Rob Key], they've got to fit like a glove," he said. Langer cited the partnership of Andy Flower and Ashley Giles, as well as the collaboration between McCullum and Matthew Mott, as examples where a divided coaching structure has shown some promise, albeit with limited success. He warned that any new arrangement would likely encounter growing‑pain issues, especially given the increasing demands of T20 and other white‑ball formats.
"It's complicated, with T20 cricket, white‑ball cricket. I would say there will be some teething issues for Baz and whoever he does it with.
If they work well together, it could work, but there haven't been too many examples where it has," Langer cautioned. Reflecting on his own tenure as Australia’s head coach, Langer noted that he oversaw 15 wins, 11 losses and five draws.
His period in charge included retaining the Ashes in England in 2019 with a 2‑2 series draw and then securing a 4‑0 series victory on home soil in the Covid‑affected 2021‑22 season. However, his time at the helm ended abruptly in February 2022, when he resigned amid a bitter fallout with senior players, just weeks after a comprehensive series win over England. While Langer has not been formally shortlisted by the ECB, his name continues to surface in discussions about the future of England Test cricket. He remains involved in the English domestic scene through The Hundred, and his experience as a former international player and coach gives him a credible perspective on what the role would demand.
In summary, Langer has confirmed that, to date, the ECB has not reached out to him about the vacant Test head‑coach job. Nevertheless, he expressed an openness to the idea, acknowledging that the position sits among the most coveted coaching jobs in the sport.
He emphasized his enduring love for Test cricket, the need for a cohesive coaching structure, and the challenges inherent in balancing the modern, fast‑paced demands of limited‑overs cricket with the traditional values of the longest format. Whether or not he will eventually be approached remains to be seen, but his comments suggest that the prospect of leading England in Test cricket is one he would entertain if the opportunity were to materialise.