LSG name Justin Langer as new head coach after parting ways with Andy Flower before IPL 2024
The former Australia opener, who also served as the head coach of Australia, will take over from Flower ahead of the next season of IPL.
IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants confirmed Justin Langer as their new head coach hours after parting ways with Andy Flower. The former Australia opener, who also served as the head coach of Australia, will take over from Flower ahead of the next season of IPL.
"Lucknow Super Giants have appointed legendary former Australian cricket team coach and batsman Justin Langer as their team head coach. As the two-year contract of Andy Flower comes to an end, Lucknow Supergiants thanks Andy Flower for his contribution," LSG said in a statement.
LSG thanked Flower, who was their head coach for two seasons. “Dear Andy, Today it’s farewell, but it’ll never be goodbye because you’ll always be one of our own. Thank you for everything!” the franchise wrote in their Twitter post.
The development also leaves the future of team mentor Gautam Gambhir in doubt.
LSG posted another tweet all but confirming Langer as their head coach an hour later and minutes after it, confirmed it through another tweet.
Langer will have his task cut out in steering the KL Rahul-led side from next season. This will be the decorated Australia cricketers' first assignment with an IPL franchise. He comes with an impressive CV. Under his guidance, Australia won the T20 World Cup in 2021 and he was pivotal in giving a new direction to Australian cricket after it was rocked with the Sandpapergate in 2018.
On joining LSG as head coach, Langer said, "Lucknow Super Giants are on the journey of building a great story in the IPL. We all have a role to play in that journey and I am excited to be a part of the team moving forward."
Flower, who collaborated closely with the Super Giants' director of cricket, Gautam Gambhir, had a successful tenure with the team, finishing in the playoffs in both of their previous seasons. Super Giants placed third in their inaugural IPL season in 2022, and in IPL 2023, they were eliminated in the Eliminator.
