Australia would be 'worst blokes in the world' if they celebrated like Kohli: Aus coach Langer
Adelaide, Dec 8 : Australian coach Justin Langer says if his players were to celebrate wickets like Indian captain Virat Kohli does, they would now be seen as "the worst blokes in the world".
Langer also took umbrage at Sachin Tendulkar's "defensive mindset" tweet following Australia's slow batting on the second day of the opening Test against India.
Kohli was his usual animated self on Friday, celebrating Australian wickets with gusto. Langer said he "loved seeing that passion" but felt Australia players would be judged differently if they did the same.
"He's (Kohli) a superstar of the game and he's the captain. We've talked for as long as I can remember in Australian cricket teams that you want to keep the opposition captain down as much as possible. You love seeing that passion in sport," Langer told Fox Cricket.
"Mind you I think if we did that at the moment we'd be the worst blokes in the world. It's a fine line isn't it?
"That's the truth of it, but I love seeing the passion, that is great passion. But as I said there's a fine line."
The head coach did concede the team was playing to a different standard of scrutiny, a fallout of the ball-tampering fiasco in South Africa in March.
Earlier, Tendulkar wrote on his twitter handle, "TeamIndia should make the most of this situation and not lose their grip. The defensive mindset by the Australian batsmen at home is something I've not seen before in my experience."
The legendary batsman's comment did not go well with Langer, who defended his inexperienced batting line-up's approach.
"The teams that Sachin would have played against started with Allan Border and David Boon, and Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh, and Ricky Ponting," Langer told Fox Cricket.
"Guys that had great Test match experience and they knew their game, were comfortable in their own skin and they knew what to expect.
"Whereas we've got a team at the moment who are very inexperienced in Test match cricket, particularly our batting side."
Tendulkar, who played his first match against Australia in 1991, and his last in 2013, faced a different era of Australian cricket compared to the current side that is rebuilding in the wake of the ball-tampering fiasco.
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5 soldiers killed as army vehicle falls into 300-feet deep gorge in Poonch
Mendhar/Jammu, Dec 24: Five soldiers were killed and as many others injured when an Army vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-feet deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Tuesday evening, officials said.
The injured have been shifted to a military hospital for treatment, they said, adding one of them is in critical condition.
The accident occurred in the Gharoa area when the vehicle was on its way to Banoi in the district, they said.
Rescue teams are on the job and they have recovered five bodies from the gorge which is around 300-350 feet deep, they added.
Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar and all ranks of Dhruva Command extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers.
"Dhruva Command stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the Northern Command said on X.
All the ranks of White Knight Corps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the Poonch sector.
"Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care", the White Knight Corps said on X.
All ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the #Poonch sector.
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) December 24, 2024
Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care.@adgpi…
#LtGenMVSuchindraKumar #ArmyCdrNC and All Ranks of #DhruvaCommand extend deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers. #DhruvaCommand stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. https://t.co/6hU2Z6jvxh
— NORTHERN COMMAND - INDIAN ARMY (@NorthernComd_IA) December 24, 2024
