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TimesofIndia.com in London: Former Australian opener and coach Justin Langer emerged as the leading contender to be England’s next Test head coach after Brendon McCullum he was fired from the role last week.Langer is thought to be at the top of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) shortlist. However, it remains to be seen how his commitments with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred will pan out. Strong indications suggest that Langer could part ways with LSG, with talks with the ECB set to take place in the coming days.TimesofIndia.com also understands that former head coaches of India Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid they are not in competition for the role. While both highly regarded figures have been briefly linked to the tender, neither is part of the ECB’s current recruitment process.The ECB are aiming to appoint a new manager before England’s home game against Pakistan begins next month, with Langer firmly in pole position if contractual hurdles can be cleared.Earlier, Andy Flower, who is currently coaching London Spirit at The Hundred and leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to back-to-back IPL titles, ruled himself out of the race.Langer took over as the head coach of Lucknow Super Giants in 2023 after succeeding Flower. He also coaches Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred. If approached by the ECB, he will have to decide whether to accept the England role and abandon his franchise responsibilities, remain exclusively in franchise cricket or try to balance both responsibilities. Flower faced a similar choice and decided to continue with franchise cricket.McCullum ended his tenure as England Test manager with a record of 27 wins, two draws and 20 losses. England’s form plummeted towards the end of his tenure, with the team losing seven of their last nine Tests. His tenure began and ended with a home series against native New Zealand. It started with an incredible 3-0 in 2022 and ended with a losing streak last month.“I’ve absolutely loved coaching the Test side and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together,” McCullum said after being sacked.“There have been incredible ups and downs and some tough days along the way, but that’s all part of accepting a challenge like this. It’s been a privilege and an honor, and I’m grateful. I’m grateful to the players, staff and fans who have supported us along the way.“I wish the Test team nothing but success. There’s a hell of a lot of talent in that dressing room and they’re a special group of lads. I’ll always be rooting for the boys, with a smile on my face, and hoping they keep playing the game. I know they’ll continue to make people proud.”
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