Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has harshly criticised captain Pat Cummins for not endorsing an extension of contract for Justin Langer, who quit as Australia’s head coach on Saturday.

Mitchell Johnson, in a column for an Australian newspaper, said Cummins failed his first real test as captain by keeping mum when he had an opportunity to back Langer.

Cummins took over as Australia’s captain from Tim Paine ahead of the Ashes series last year and led the team wonderfully well, helping Australia hammer England 4-0 and retain the Urn. Cummins did not put a foot wrong as he won the support of the public.

However, he had said that it’s only fair that Langer’s position was evaluated by Cricket Australia which had lengthy discussions with the former opener over continuation of his term as head coach.

Cricket Australia said in a statement on Saturday that Langer was indeed offered a short-term extension but he denied it. Media reports had hinted that Langer was not happy when he was asked to re-apply for the role despite winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes with the team.

“Pat Cummins has been lauded as some type of cricketing saint since his elevation to the top job this summer,” Johnson wrote in a column in the West Australian newspaper.

“Cummins might have delivered with the ball during the Ashes series, but he has failed his first big test as captain pretty miserably.

“He had plenty of public opportunities to endorse an extension for Langer. So when he let it through to the keeper every time, it became pretty obvious he didn’t want it to happen.”

His Saturday departure came just weeks after he presided over Australia’s 4-0 Ashes series win over England. Australia also won last year’s Twenty20 World Cup for the first time under Langer, but there have been reports of player discontent over his coaching style.

Langer, in a statement on Sunday, conceded that a few senior players did not want him to continue as head coach.
Cummins declined during a media event on Thursday to fully endorse Langer’s continuing as coach.

GUTLESS INTERVIEWS FROM CUMMINS: JOHNSON

Johnson wrote that if Cummins wanted Langer out, the captain should have been more forthcoming about it.
“His recent interviews have been gutless by not respecting his coach when he could have been upfront from the start,” Johnson wrote.

Cummins has not publicly responded to the criticism.