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Former Australia opening batter Justin Langer will start his the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 following his appointment as head coach of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Langer will replace Andy Flower who has joined Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as head coach for the upcoming season. Under Flower, LSG reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the franchise joined the league in 2022. Meanwhile, Langer was the head coach of the Australian team between 2018 and 2022, before being replaced by Andre McDonald.

During his tenure, Australia retained the Ashes on English soil after 18 years in 2019. Langer also led them to a maiden T20 World Cup title in 2021.

Ahead of the upcoming IPL season, Langer has revealed how LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka convinced hin to take the coachin role. He also labelled Goenka someone with great sales man skills.

“Well, it was so funny because I was here in Perth and I received a text message asking me if I had any interest in coaching in the IPL. It was from Vinay, telling me that the owner Sanjiv was in London at the same time and would I be interested in having a coffee with him. And I thought ‘Well, I have got nothing to lose’ and I went and met the boss,” said Langer in an interview on LSG’s offical Twitter account.

Justin Langer talks Lucknow, IPL, KL Rahul and lots more in his first interview as LSG Head Coach! pic.twitter.com/boPtgANw8w

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) December 30, 2023

“From there, we had a very nice conversation. He is a really good sales man, the boss, because the last thing he said to me was ‘you know Justin, you have had a great playing career, you have had a very good coaching career until now. But, you can’t consider yourself a great coach until you have won the IPL. I was like ‘oh, good sales man skills. I like that boss, man’.

“We had some conversations after that. We continue to have good conversations. I am thrilled to be the head coach of this franchise,” Langer added.

LSG will also be without their mentor Gautam Gambhir who has joined KKR ahead of the new season.