Langer’s comments will spur Wade on: Siddle
Jul 2, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Australian pacer Peter Siddle has said that Justin Langer’s scathing comments on Mathew Wade will compel the latter to perform better.
After the conclusion of the tri-series, where Wade played a match winning knock in the final, caretaker coach Langer said that Wade could become Australia’s number one wicket-keeper but only if he puts in more hard work. Citing the examples of Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist, Langer said that a better work ethic is the only way for Wade to become Australia’s number one wicket-keeper.
“I was very lucky to play with Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist and they always had the best work ethic of anyone in the squad.
I heard (Wade) say a few weeks ago that Peter Nevill is obviously the best wicketkeeper in Australia. Well, I’d like to think Matthew Wade is aspiring to be the best wicketkeeper in Australia.
“If he works hard … if he has a Healy-Gilchrist work ethic, there’s no reason why he can’t be the best wicketkeeper in Australia. “But that’s up to him if he wants to really work at that,” Langer said.
However, Siddle said that Langer could be playing mind games to motivate Wade to work harder.
“Whether it was true or not (I don’t know), I know personally he does work hard, but JL could be playing a little bit of mind games with him as well,” Siddle told cricket.com.au.
“But at the end of the day, everyone can work harder. I don’t think you can pinpoint individuals, it doesn’t matter if you’re Steve Smith or a bloke playing grassroots, everyone can always work harder to improve.
“But knowing Matty, yeah it would have hurt at first to hear something like that.
“But he’s a tough character and it’ll just spur him on.