Langer issues fresh challenge to Australia

Having witnessed - in the decisive Manchester Test that ensured Australia retained the Ashes - how his team can rebound from stinging defeat, Justin Langer believes their immediate challenge is to bounce back better after winning.

In the wake of the men's team's loss to England at The Oval that ensured the Ashes series ended deadlocked at 2-2, Langer admitted to feeling "a bit hollow" even though the terracotta urn remains notionally in their keeping.

He assessed that reaching the semi-final stage of the ICC World Cup followed by not surrendering the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001 represented a successful northern summer for his group.

However, he looked back on the way the Test team struggled through the second match at Lord's after their triumph in the series opener, and faltered again in the final Test just days after securing the Ashes as low points.

That contrasted with the spirit the group showed in responding to the devastation of the third Test loss at Headingley, by grabbing a hard-fought last-day win in the decisive fourth Test at Old Trafford.

The coach and his men will now enjoy a deserved break before setting their sights on a packed Australia summer, but Langer identified dealing with success as a priority before the next Test assignment (against Pakistan) begins in November.

"That probably comes with the maturity of the group as well," Langer said of the poor performances that immediately followed each of the Ashes Test victories.

"To fight back from a tough loss (at Headingley) is admirable, and I said how proud I was with everyone for that.

"But also, over the last couple of years, we haven’t necessarily performed at our best after a win.

"We had a really good opportunity after winning the first Test, but we didn't necessarily turn up to the Lord's Test as well as we could have, and we didn't turn up to this Test (at The Oval).

"Really good teams do that (continue winning).

"I think that’ll be part of the maturity of our side.

"The way we were in this series, we aren’t a great team yet.

"We are a good team, we are a maturing team and we've got some great players in it, but we’re aspiring to be a great cricket team.

"You got to work hard and get consistent results to achieve that."

Langer conceded that the shortfalls in Australia's top-order batting provided his over-riding regret of the Ashes campaign.

But the positives he took from his first Ashes series as coach, apart from keeping hold of the trophy, were the sense of camaraderie fostered within the squad and the potency shown by the complement of six fast bowlers.

He predicted that if the batting talent available across the nation can realise its potential and provide regular and significant support for Ashes player of the series Steve Smith, then Australia could become a force in the ICC's new World Test Championship competition.

"There's a real challenge for young Australian batters," Langer said.

"The ones who want to step up and score lots of runs and work hard on their footwork patterns and techniques and ability to score runs - it's a pretty exciting time.

"That's a big challenge moving forward.

"But with this exciting fast bowling group we've got, if we start batting well we'll win a lot of games of cricket."

The priority afforded Australia's men's Ashes tilt in an attempt to redress four failed campaigns since the most recent series win in 2001 can be deemed successful given the urn's retention.

But while the newly introduced Test Championship – which sees Australia and England currently tied in equal fourth position behind leaders India and Sri Lanka and New Zealand (tied for second) – ensures the long format remains front of mind, the T20 game now assumes much greater focus.

That's because Australia will host the women's (early next year) and men's (later in 2020) World T20 championships which means planning for those tournaments steps up several gears.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Kevin Roberts spoke last weekend about the need to incorporate greater T20 expertise into the operations of the men's team selection panel.

And Langer indicated he would actively consider utilising the expertise of rival Ashes coach Trevor Bayliss, who completed his tenure as coach of England at the conclusion of The Oval Test, if the former New South Wales representative was available and interested.

In his farewell media conference on Sunday evening, Bayliss indicated that the only international coaching role that would interest him (having led England to their first World Cup win this year) was the Australia men's team job.

However, he hastened to add that post was in "safe hands" with Langer although he did not rule out taking on a formal role within the Australia structure if an opportunity presented itself.

"There'll be a real focus on T20 cricket coming up," Langer said.

"Certainly Trevor Bayliss, from a personal point of view and as a mentor I’m sure I can learn a lot from TB if he’s open to it.

"He’s a seasoned campaigner, he’s an Australian and I know he’s done a great job for England.

"But I know he loves Australia as well, so who knows what will happen there."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia won by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England won by one wicket at Headingley

Fourth Test: Australia won by 185 runs at Old Trafford

Fifth Test: England won by 135 runs