Aussie great Justin Langer, now the team,s batting coach, believes Ricky is a super captain

Harbhajan Singh will probably disagree with him vehemently but former Australian opening batsman Justin Langer believes that Ricky Ponting is a top leader.

Langer, now a batting coach with the Test team, yesterday told the media he believes Ponting, a "lightning rod" for criticism after the Ashes defeat earlier this year, remains a "strong and skilled leader".

"It's a very, very hard job. I never did it, not many people did", Langer, who played under Ponting, said. His record speaks for itself. As a batsman, as a leader, he has been outstanding.

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"To hear some of the rubbish I hear from former players, it must have been an easy game for them."

Langer is particularly impressed with Ponting's influence as a leader, especially on the younger players.

""Whether it's in the fielding practice, the nets, the way he holds himself off the field u2014 every time he speaks, these young guys just listen u2014 they hang on to every word that he says."u00a0

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