Darren Lehmann wants Australia to be world’s best team © Getty Images
Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann will continue to mentor the national team until Ashes 2019 before leaving the side. Lehmann’s contract has been extended until October 2019 by Cricket Australia (CA). Ever since his appointment since 2013 Ashes series, Lehmann has guided Australia to Test victories over England, India, New Zealand and West Indies at home while victories against South Africa and New Zealand away. He also played crucial role lifting the ICC World Cup 2015 trophy at home. There have been downward moments as well when Australia lost to Pakistan, the surrender of Ashes in England last year and surprising defeat against Sri Lanka last week. Lehmann surely has some work ahead of him to claim Australia the title of world’s best team. ALSO READ: Darren Lehmann confident of Australia doing well in Sri Lanka
In addition to the multiple retirements that followed last year’s Ashes, Lehmann’s support staff have changed considerably in the past six months, offering him fresh faces with which to work towards those goals. Speaking to cricket.com.au, Lehmann said, “The board have actually seen that we are doing okay as such, barring the result in the Test [at Pallekele], but looking forward to the next few years in charge and hopefully getting some wins in the sub-continent, first and foremost on the agenda, but developing the side as we are,” Lehmann said. “We have a different coaching group now coming in and the players are refreshed and I am looking forward to the challenge.”
He further added, “I suppose the big one on everyone’s lips is the sub-continent – we certainly have to improve there. Ashes is a big home and away and, obviously, the World Cup. They are the big ones for us, as everyone knows, but you have got to try and win every games you play. For us, we just have to get better playing in all conditions. Probably the spinning ball on the sub-continent [is our biggest challenge] you would think. Swinging ball – a lot has been made of the England swinging ball and we won a couple of Test matches this time, albeit we lost the Ashes and the wickets they produced were very seam friendly. End of the day that is the way cricket goes. For us, it is probably more the sub-continent conditions at the moment, getting prepared for that obviously with the next two Test matches here and then India at the back end.” ALSO READ: Australia name David Saker as assistant coach
When asked if this extended tenure would mark completion of his time as coach, Lehmann replied with frankness, “I would think it would be, yeah.” Between now and then, Australia face a tour of India, a Champions Trophy, another home and away Ashes contest and a World Cup in England. The newly-appointed assistant coach David Saker, recent interim coach Justin Langer and Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie will be among the candidates to eventually replace Lehmann. ALSO READ: Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann stress on safety of bowlers in nets
On speaking about the other staff, Lehmann mentioned “We’ll give those guys opportunities along the way. As I’ve always said, it’s the best job in the world. I love the job. But it’s a job you can’t do forever either,” Lehmann said. “So whatever opportunities we can give to the guys along the way we certainly will do. And then it’s up to the board what they do from there and the high performance department. I think you’re judged on results most of the time all around the world not just on the subcontinent. I think you’ve got to play well and win a lot of games of cricket basically as a coach. That’s what players have to do, that’s what coaches have to do in any sport. You’ve got to hopefully keep getting the results that makes it a lot easier.”