Justin Langer has been making headlines across the course of the past week after departing his post as the head coach of the Australian XI, a position he had held since 2018.
While his coaching style and methods have been debated, ad nauseam, by past and present players, the success of his playing career was significantly less controversial.
Langer turned himself from a domestic talent for Western Australia into one of Australia’s greatest ever top-order batters. With opening partner Matthew Hayden, they created Australia’s most prolific opening line-up, ranking as number two for total runs by averaging a partnership of 51.41 for a total of 5655 runs.
Individually, the punchy opener played in 105 tests and eight one-day internationals throughout his career and finished with 23 centuries at an average of 45.27.
For an Australian player, Langer, currently, has the 29th highest batting average, is eighth highest in total runs and batted in the seventh most innings. His high score of 250 ranks equals 12th amongst Australian players.
In the wake of his departure as the nation's steward, we took a look at five of Justin Langer’s career-best moments with the bat in hand.
5. Langer scores more than entire opposition side - Pakistan 2004
In the first match of Pakistan’s 2004-2005 tour of Australia, both the hosts and tourists were looking to stamp their authority on the best of three series.
Pakistan elected to field after winning the toss at the WACA, which looked to be the right decision early on in the match. Langer managed to fend off a range of threatening deliveries but saw his teammates fall around him.
Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami tore through the openers, leaving a stunned Perth crowd silent at 5-78.
With Michael Clarke falling for a single run, Adam Gilchrist came into the crease. He was the last recognised batsman, with only the bowlers left to follow.
In a series-altering performance, the pair put on a 152-run partnership. Langer led the way with a controlled innings, managing to score 191 runs before falling just before 200. Australia managed 381 for the innings, with Langer scoring over half of Australia’s total score.
He turned the tide of the match, allowing his side to post a respectable score. Pakistan was impacted by allowing the Aussies back into the match, responding with only 179.
The second innings was more of a team effort, with Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Langer all making over 97. Martyn was the only one who was able to reach the ton. Langer fell for 97, with Ponting making 98.
With Pakistan only reaching 72 in the second innings, Australia won by a whopping 491 runs. Langer’s total of 288 for the match surpassed Pakistan’s total of 251 for the match.
