Test squad member Sean Abbott throws his support behind passionate Australian coach Justin Langer

Sean Abbott has defended the “passion” of Australian coach Justin Langer after the blowtorch was turned his way amid talk of discontent among some elements of the Test squad.

The Sydney Sixers all-rounder has put aside the dual disappointment of missing out on the postponed Test tour of South Africa and the T20 tour of New Zealand to narrow his focus to Saturday’s Big Bash final where his team will shoot for back-to-back titles.

Abbott, who was part of the Test squad which lost 2-1 to India this summer, said he was “chomping at the bit” to tour South Africa, but conceded safety had to come first.

“The medical staff at CA and the people that made the decisions are looking out for our health and wellbeing,” he said on Wednesday.

“If it’s too dangerous for us to go over, they are going to make that call and not take too many chances. It’s disappointing but people are just trying to look after us.”

Sean Abbott (L) was part of the Test squad all summer and saw the pressure coach Justin Langer was under (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Despite being part of the Australian T20 team which played India last November, Abbott won’t go to New Zealand later this month because members of that squad were already part of a biosecurity plan.

Abbott’s Sixers teammate Josh Phillippe is part of that T20 squad, and they will together on Saturday night, and are in the same playing bubble.

But they are in different bubbles within bubbles.

“My understanding is those protocols (for New Zealand) started a few weeks ago,” Abbott said.

“Even though we are playing with guys like Josh Phillippe and some other guys, we can’t bridge back in to that bubble. So I miss out on South Africa and the white ball tour.”

Abbott also came to the defence of Langer, who has come under fire for his uncompromising ways and the effect it has reportedly had on the team environment.

There were reports Australia players had grown tired of the coach’s intensity and overbearing management.

Abbott said being inside the team bubble had highlighted to him just how much pressure everyone was under.

“It’s been well noted how passionate JL is about the Australian cricket team and he holds himself to a very high standard,” Abbott said.

“I was lucky enough, when we came back from the UK we had two weeks quarantine in Adelaide, a small training group but the same coaching group we had in the UK and it was a great two-week experience … to get to know JL a little bit.

“The Test series just gone, we were tested, not only the coach but the rest of the coaching staff and the players and I got to see just how much pressure is on the Australian cricket team. It’s the pride and joy of Australian sport.

“To lose at home and having the fourth game, we lost on the last day at a ground we haven’t lost at in 30-odd years, and that’s something we took hard as a sporting nation. That’s only going to make us stronger as a playing group and make us better for the long run.

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