Darren Lehmann reveals emotional toll after ball-tampering scandal

Darren Lehmann, former Australia coach who quit in the aftermath of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, has revealed the emotional toll on him and claimed Cricket Australia did not support him enough in the aftermath of the controversy.

“I saw people, and am still seeing people about it. That's a work in progress. I don't think people know how much it affects people behind the scenes, but that's one of those things that you go through,” Lehmann was quoted as saying in a report in Sydney Daily Telegraph. 

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When asked about the support from Cricket Australia, Lehmann said they did offer psychological support but could have offered him a lot more. 

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Lehmann, who will be a commentator for the first ODI between Australia and South Africa in Perth, tearfully quit following the scandal despite being cleared of any direct role and contracted until the 2019 Ashes series in England, with former teammate Justin Langer taking over.

‘Toxic culture’ in Australian cricket

Lehmann took over as the coach of the Australia team at a time of crisis. Mickey Arthur was sacked just before the start of the 2013 Ashes in England. However, Lehmann turned the team’s fortunes and played a key role in Australia whitewashing England 5-0 in the Ashes encounter and helping the team win the World Cup for the fifth time. 

However, he was accused by critics of overseeing a toxic team culture that damaged the reputation of the famed Baggy Green cap. While Lehmann and the three players paid a heavy price, no one at Cricket Australia has been held to account, although the governing body has accepted some culpability and former CEO James Sutherland has departed, along with team performance boss Pat Howard.

An independent review that CA commissioned slammed the cricket board’s  "arrogant" and "controlling" culture, which resulted in the scandal at Newlands, triggering calls for chairman David Peever to quit.