Australia's coach Justin Langer on Thursday revealed that Graeme Hick, the batting coach of the side was among 40 jobs axed due to the coronavirus.
He also said that telling Hick was like facing Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh without a helmet.
"It's been a tough few days actually, that's the truth of it. Having to tell Hicky yesterday morning was like facing Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh without a helmet and a box on. I was that nervous because you become good friends with them," ESPNCricinfo quoted Langer as saying.
"They're ripping human beings. There's no doubt about that. You couldn't meet a person with greater integrity than Graeme Hick and his work ethic is unbelievable," he added.
Cricket Australia on Wednesday had announced a round of job cuts. Chief Executive Kevin Roberts also resigned from his post, while Hick has been asked to go.
"It's nothing he's done it's more the impact of the cost-cutting that we're doing, it was really hard as it was seeing Kevin Roberts go the other day. You build relationships with these guys and the human side of it kicked in yesterday, not just with Hickey and Kev, but some of the other cuts that happened," Langer said.
However, the Australian coach Langer remains hopeful that the likes of Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh could be called back to assist the team at times.
"If you'd have asked me 10 or 12 weeks ago, I'd have thought it's nice to have a selector around or other people. But I'm sure there's going to be scope for using a lot more of this technology to make these decisions, to talk to the captain, to talk to the senior players and that'll be a part of it," Langer said.
Earlier this week, Nick Hockley, currently Chief Executive of the ICC T20 World Cup was appointed as the interim Chief Executive of Cricket Australia.
The board also confirmed CA's Chief Executive Kevin Roberts' resignation from the role.
Chairman Earl Eddings said Cricket Australia would conduct an international search for a new chief executive to lead the orgsation as cricket prepares to spring back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
( With inputs from ANI )
