Justin Langer to replace Darren Lehmann as Australia coach, says report

Former Australia opening batsman Justin Langer is set to replace Darren Lehmann as the coach of Australian cricket team, according to a report in Australian media. 

The Cricket Australia board will meet on Friday to ratify the process that is set to see Justin Langer appointed as the next Australian coach, reported The West Australia. The reporty said that Cricket Australia is likely to make the appointment early May. 

"The board meeting on Friday will determine the process for appointing the next Australian coach. No one has been offered the position and no contract has been drawn up yet. It might be a couple of weeks before that happens," a CA spokesperson was quoted as saying by The West Australian.

Darren Lehmann quit in the wake of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal last month. 

An investigation by Cricket Australia found three players - Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft - guilty in the cheating scandal in the Cape Town Test against South Africa, while Lehmann was given a clean chit.

Lehmann said he had taken the call to step down after watching Smith and Bancroft speak to the media. This decision came shortly after Smith's tearful press conference in Sydney late last month. An emotional Lehmann said it was entirely his own decision and he had spoken to his bosses in Cricket Australia for the last couple of days.

Langer has coached Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers for the past five seasons, winning three Big Bash League crowns and two one-day titles.

He was the frontrunner to become the next Australian coach once Lehmann completed his tenure after next year’s Ashes tour.

Langer believes the national coach should oversee all three international formats – Test, one-day and Twenty20 – but former team-mates Ricky Ponting or Jason Gillespie are in the frame to take on the limited overs roles if the positions are split.