Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has become the first current player to speak out about Justin Langer 's resignation as head coach.
Despite leading Australia to Ashes and T20 World Cup success, Langer dramatically stepped down from his role on Saturday, citing a lack of support from senior players, support staff and the board as the reason behind his decision in his resignation letter.
"I believe it is in everyone’s best interests for the Australian cricket team to begin the next chapter immediately," Langer wrote.
"If media reports are correct, several senior players and a couple of support staff don’t support me moving forward, and it is now apparent the CA board are also keen to see the team move in another direction. I respect that decision."
However, Carey has denied the suggestion that a rift between Langer and the players caused him to quit.
"I don't think so. Everyone respects the man highly - he's obviously an Australian cricket legend," Carey told Channel 7 .
"'I'm a little bit surprised but it is now about the stability of the team and trying to win games of cricket moving forward."
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, however, has accused the players of trying to 'push Langer out of a job'.
Speaking to ABC Melbourne, Ponting said: "Me knowing Justin the way that I do, he was very keen to continue in the role, as he should have been after what’s been the best coaching period of his international career having just won the T20 World Cup and then the 4-0 result in the Ashes.
"Reading the tea leaves it sounds like a few — and as he says to me a small group in the playing group and a couple of other staff around the team — haven’t entirely loved the way he has gone about it.
"That’s been enough to force a man who has put his life and heart and soul into Australian cricket and done a sensational job at turning around the culture and the way the Australian team has been looked at in the last few years to push him out of the job."
