The Australian team's fitness coach and a friend of Darren Lehmann has revealed how the fun-loving head coach has relieved the pressure on Australia's Test cricketers and made them smile again.
Before Lehmann's entry in the team, the players were so worried about their spots and strict team directives that they often turned on each other, as happened in India when four players were sacked from a Test match.
According to News.com.au, however, fitness coach Damian Mednis, who described Lehmann as the 'class clown', said that the coach branded Australia's cricketing resurgence as 'funny s***', adding that he believes one of the reasons Lehmann got him involved was to help him with his 'funny s***'.
Mednis further said that Lehmann often hides the bats and gear of the players, himself hides and jumps out of cupboards to scare them and is always sniffing out information on the players and then stirring them up when he has something on them, adding that he makes sure the players are always laughing and joking and having fun with each other.
The report mentioned that even apart from encouraging his players to play with a new sense of freedom and attacking flair, it is clear that Lehmann has brought the fun back to cricket, given that one of the new trademarks of the Australian Test team is a 'joke of the day' competition which Lehmann started in his time at the Queensland Bulls.
However, the report mentioned that Lehmann also commands respect and several Australian players have been on the end of his wrath when they have been slightly late for a training session or not done something he has asked.