'Holistic' Langer will benefit Aussies: AB

As his first Test captain and as a man he deeply reveres, Justin Langer will doubtless take warm encouragement from an endorsement as Australia's new men's coach from the legendary Allan Border.

Langer was this morning confirmed as Darren Lehmann's successor, with his four-year contract to begin later this month.

In an entertaining first press conference, the 47-year-old referred to the influence of Border – whose name he claims he still gets nervous saying – in his own development as a player and a person on more than one occasion.

Ironically, it is that multi-faceted form of mentorship from Langer that the Border believes will benefit the current Test squad most.

"It's a holistic approach with Justin – he develops the cricketer and the person," the former skipper told cricket.com.au. "That'll be good for the team.

"He's also a hard-nosed, very competitive fella.

"Western Australia Cricket has flourished under his stewardship and he's earned his stripes through some very successful years there.

"Through his own playing career, he's got a good insight into what it takes – he wasn't the most naturally gifted player but he got everything out of his talent.

"He'll also bring work ethic to the table."

Langer made his Test debut 25 years ago and remembers the stern leadership of Border, as well as head coach Bob Simpson – a pair that led Australia out of the nadir of the mid-1980s and to the brink of world domination.

He played five Tests under Border as a 22-year-old and the lessons he gleaned have helped shape the way he manages his teams today. Chief among those learnings was a responsibility to the Australian public that their national side play hard but fair, a philosophy that fell away suddenly and dramatically in Cape Town in March.

"I was brought up under Bob Simpson and Allan Border – I still get nervous saying their names, they were that tough," Langer said.

"They demanded excellence on and off the cricket field, and we played hard.

"The (Australian) public will be disappointed if we don't play good, hard, competitive cricket.

"That said, we can also modify our behaviours a bit so it's not angry, not over-aggressive, but we're certainly aggressive in the mindset we play with the bat and the ball."

Border said Langer's experience as a stand-in for Lehmann on occasion in recent years would ensure the changing of the guard was as hassle-free as possible.

"There'll be some subtle differences but I see it being a fairly smooth transition from what the team was under Lehmann," he explained. "He's a good style of bloke to have in charge of the team."

Of course, the suspension of former leadership duo of Steve Smith and David Warner presents the new coach with his first significant hurdle, with Australia's ODI squad for a tour of the UK next month set to be announced soon.

"It's hard to replace their runs and their experience," Langer said. "Over the next 11 months, there's a chance for some guys to take their opportunities … to even make us stronger, and add to the depth.

"They (Smith and Warner) are like the cream on the top, when it comes to big tournaments.

"You can build the depth and then you've got some great players coming back in – that's a pretty exciting time."