Boof's message to Langer ahead of T20

Head coach Darren Lehmann is only a phone call away but Australia's T20 manager Justin Langer is confident he's got the job under control.

Justin Langer

Australia's T20 manager Justin Langer is confident he's got the job under control. (AAP)

Darren Lehmann has urged stand-in coach Justin Langer to ensure Australia exacts some revenge on Sri Lanka in the three-match T20 home series starting this week.

Lehmann will leave the well-credentialled Langer to his own devices as he focusses his own attention on getting the Test squad ready for the series in India.

But ahead of Friday's T20 opener at the MCG there has been one piece of advice, with the head coach clearly still smarting from the painful 3-0 Test series loss in Sri Lanka last year.

"I've had a few emails from Boof (Lehmann) and he said we owe the Sri Lankans a couple," Langer told AAP.

Langer has already got a pretty good idea of who he wants in the XI from the 13-man T20 squad, including his veteran West Australian and Perth Scorchers' batsman Michael Klinger, who is set to debut at age 36.

"I'd be amazed if he (Klinger) is not in the first XI," Langer said.

"If you look at his numbers, the system we use in Western Australia, he and Aaron Finch are easily the two leading players in Australian T20 in that squad.

"You pick someone like Michael Klinger, in my view he's got to play."

Despite noting Klinger's influence in the recent Big Bash season and more broadly in T20 cricket, Langer said it's likely to be a short-lived period in the spotlight.

"Whilst his age age is probably against him for a long, bright future in Australian colours I'm sure he'll play these games and he should, he deserves to."

Seen by some as a backup squad while the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Starc fulfil Test commitments in the subcontinent, the T20 side is filled with potential and eagerness, Langer insists.

"If you're talking about Michael Klinger he would cut both his legs off and he would've for the last few years to play cricket for Australia," the coach said.

"To see Tim Paine get an opportunity - a couple of years ago before his finger injury (he) was touted as a future Australian captain so a ripping bloke and there's plenty of really good blokes there so I'm sure they will be looking forward to it."

The squad gathers in Melbourne on Tuesday night.


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Source: AAP



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