Langer backs Voges' ability to return

WA coach Justin Langer is confident Adam Voges can return strongly from the nasty head knock he suffered in the Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania

Justin Langer is confident 'tough bloke" Adam Voges can come back strongly from the sickening head blow that left him concussed at the WACA.

The 37-year-old Test batsman is taking no further part in Western Australia's Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania and is considered unlikely to be available for the third Test against South Africa starting on Thursday.

On Friday WA coach Langer said Voges was still feeling effects of the bouncer to the back of the helmet he suffered when forced to retire hurt on 16 on Thursday.

"It was a bad blow and it was a bit like a boxer getting knocked out," Langer told Fox Sports.

"Thankfully he could walk off and he is recovering quite well. He has a headache this morning and he's a bit groggy.

"He didn't have much sleep last night and those are the classic symptoms. "

Voges' hold on his Test spot was already shaky following a series of recent batting failures.

Having dealt with his own concussion problems later in his Test career, former opener Langer knows it can be difficult to bounce back from them.

But the coach had no doubt that Voges was capable of it, describing his WA skipper as "one of the toughest blokes in Australian cricket".

"He is that resilient and that tough, and one of the things he is going to have to do is get back on the horse and start batting again," he said.

"When you have a blow like that from experience it takes a bit of courage and time to get your strategies about how you will keep facing the short bowling.

"If he has the hunger to do that, then he will be fine."

Langer was a little frustrated by comparisons to the death of Phillip Hughes any time a batsman was struck on the head with a short-pitched delivery.

"I saw a strange headline that it was almost a repeat but a lot of guys get hit in the helmet and that's part of the game we play," Langer said.

"Hughesy was a freakish accident and there has been so much said about that. "I have seen a lot of guys get hit and go down before and after that, but the body and the mind is very resilient.

"It's nice to see Vogesy back up and he will be fine hopefully going forward."


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Source: AAP



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