Langer has often been described as a fighter, and not only because he has black belts in judo and taekwondo. Brought up on the fast WACA wicket at Perth, Langer is a superb player of quick bowling. He is strong off the back, utilising hooks and cuts to great effect. If he has a weakness, it is against spin, and on slower wickets, which are found especially on the subcontinent.

A slightly-built left-hander who normally comes in first wicket down, Langer was first drafted into the Australia side to face West Indies at Adelaide in 1992/93 after an injury to Damien Martyn. He scored a second innings 54, in the face of some aggressive bowling from Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, but Australia lost by a single run and Langer played in only another five Tests over the next three years until forcing his way back into the Test side in 1996/97. He scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan at Peshawar in 1998.

Langer first hit the headlines with Western Australia, making 149 in the Sheffield Shield Final of 1991/92 - his debut season. That innings, in a 44-run win over New South Wales, offered the first hint of his fine powers of concentration and his capacity to perform at the highest level in the face of the most intense pressure. Langer has made a great impression in England, where he is vice-captain of Middlesex. He scored 233 not out on his debut at Lord's in 1998 and was the first batsman to reach 1000 first-class runs for that season.