Australia's miraculous escape crafted in Langer's image

Usman Khawaja's match saving 141 reminiscent of Langer's own steely determination that defined his career

Khawaja celebrates reaching his ton

When Pakistan declared with a lead of 461 and 140 overs still remaining in the match, everyone in the cricket world expected a Pakistan victory. What followed yesterday surprised everyone, with Usman Khawaja playing one of the greatest match saving innings ever seen. To put into context, his innings is the highest by any touring player in the fourth innings in Asia, and the longest by an Australian ever in the fourth innings at 302 balls, all in the sweltering heat of the UAE.

Since Justin Langer was appointed as Darren Lehmann’s successor, he has put emphasis on batting long periods of time and the value of centuries, even refusing to pick Glenn Maxwell for the tour on the basis of his lack of centuries. Prior to leaving for the UAE, he told his players to ‘be prepared to bat for a long, long time’, and they’ve duly delivered. While never the most stylish of players during his career, Langer epitomised how sheer determination and grit could deliver results. He instantly showed his mettle on his debut when he was hit on the helmet, before battling on to make 54, and the heroics of his batsmen today exemplify the same battling ethos that he is trying to implement in his new look Australian side.

Coaches often apply their own approaches and characteristics to their teams. Trevor Bayliss’ laid back but aggressive nature has shone through in England’s ODI batting, while Langer’s predecessor Darren Lehmann adopted his aggressive, win at all costs approach that culminated in the ball tampering scandal earlier this year. What is surprising is how quickly Langer’s never say die competitive nature has passed on to his players, digging their way out of a situation where most teams would have collapsed like a house of cards.

By appointing Langer as head coach, Australia appear to have found the right man to motivate and carry forward a team weakened by the bans to David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft. With such depleted batting, Australia’s heroic escape is almost symbolic of Langer’s career, full of fight and belief in their own ability. At a difficult time for Australian cricket, they can be extremely proud of the fight their team showed against a much-fancied Pakistan team. While still early days, it is clear that Langer’s never say die attitude has already rubbed off on his team, and it is the perfect remedy to get Australian cricket back on track.