Melbourne: Australia head coach Justin Langer's intense "micro-management" coaching style has apparently not gone down well with a lot of players even as the former opener termed the insinuations as something that "couldn't be further from truth".
The fissures in the Australian camp have come out in the open after an under-strength India came back from behind to hammer Australia 2-1 in their own den.
According to a report in an Australian media outlet, quoting multiple sources close to the Australian set-up, some players are apparently not happy with Langer's management style because of his intensity and mood swings.
The report suggested that Langer is no longer able to cope up with the demands of being a three-format coach.
"Dressing-room sources say that over a gruelling summer, Langer's management style wore thin with some players, who on top of having to live in a bubble for months on end say they have become drained by his intensity and mood swings," it reported.
"...some senior players are frustrated at the atmosphere in the team being brought down by the coach's shifting emotions and what they see as too much micro-management. They say that has extended to bowlers being bombarded with statistics and instructions about where to bowl at lunch breaks including during the fourth and final Test against India at the Gabba," the report further read.
Langer, however, refuted the claims that his relationship with players had soared.
"Couldn't be further from the truth," adding that "leadership isn't a popularity contest."
"If players just want someone to tickle their stomachs all the time then I'm not doing my job.
"It's actually the opposite of what happens. I never talk about statistics to the bowlers, ever. I don't go to any of the bowlers' meetings. That's what the bowlers' coach is meant to be doing," he said.