Australian captain Pat Cummins has denied Justin Langer's "intense" coaching style was an issue in the dressing room and says the players were okay with it.
Australia are priced at 10/3 to defend the T20 World Cup later this year but Langer will not be there to lead them after resigning as coach last week.
Heavy criticism
Cummins has come in for heavy criticism for not speaking out sooner but has now broken his silence by issuing a statement on the departure.
Prior to Langer resigning rumours were rife that all was not well in the dressing room with a number of players said to be unhappy with his coaching methods.
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However Cummins has rubbished such claims and says the players were happy with a style that "drove a better team culture and higher team standards" as they went on to the T20 World Cup and Ashes over the last six months.
The Aussie skipper also says Langer apologised to the players, but there was no need for him to do so.
"Justin has acknowledged that his style was intense. And it was," part of the statement read. "He has apologised to players and staff for his intensity. I think the apology was unnecessary.
"Because the players were OK with JL's intensity. It came from a good place and his fierce love of Australia and the baggy green, something which has served Australian cricket well for three decades. It's what makes him a legend of the sport."
Short-term offer
Langer resigned after rejecting the offer of a short-term contract to take him through until after the T20 World Cup at the end of the year.
He hinted that he lacked support in the dressing room but Cummins again was keen to point out that his intensity was not an issue and Cricket Australia have just taken the bold decision to head in a different direction with the coaching position.
Cummins added: "And on behalf of the players, I thank Justin. More than that, we owe him a lot and Justin will be a welcome face in the change room in the future.
"So, his intensity was not the issue for players and the support staff."
