A modern-day warrior

Justin Langer is probably Australia's toughest opening batsman. It's unlikely any top-level player has been struck in the head as often as Langer. If he was an NFL competitor he would have been forced into retirement by concussions years before now, but with his keep-getting-up attitude he has forged a fine career that will close at the SCG after 105 Tests.

Only in March did Langer doubt himself for long. Unfair critics have been cursing him since the beginning of his career in 1992-93 when he opened with a half-century and a belt on the helmet from Ian Bishop. It toughened his outlook even more than hours of martial arts discipline and he was a player who enjoyed the game when it was at its hardest. It is why he was the best of Australia's batsmen as the Ashes were taken away in 2005. It is why Australia will miss him.

Langer first admitted to mortality after he was severely concussed by a Makhaya Ntini bouncer during his 100th Test earlier this year at Johannesburg. Against doctors' orders he padded up at No. 11 in the second innings, but Australia secured a tight win without him and he waited a couple of weeks before deciding to press on. Like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, his mission was regaining the Ashes. It was completed in Perth and he can allow the next generation of Phil Jaques and Chris Rogers to apply for next season's vacancy.

There is a feeling Langer has struggled to keep his spot for almost every series, but the reality is he has been a complete player who in partnership with Matthew Hayden has given Australia barbed-wire security. Together the two parents were usually responsible for ridding the danger from the rest of the family through their hard talking, heavy striking and complementary efforts.

Hayden was the hulking bludgeoner and for a while he was joined by the more nimble Langer, who rose from a dour compiler to a shot-maker who scored faster than Michael Slater and Mark Waugh. Even the selectors failed to adjust their early view of a batsman lumped with the three Gs - gutsy, gritty, grafter. They gave him only eight one-day internationals and the snub hurt.

Adam Gilchrist fulfilled one opening role in the short form while Langer blazed at the top of the Test team. He grew into the aggressive model set out by Steve Waugh, who was his great mentor. For a while he was nicknamed "mini-Tugga" in recognition of his love of all things Waugh and he was a crucial figure in reminding his team-mates that they would not be satisfied until they owned the Ashes again.

His wholeheartedness was recognised with his appointment to lead the team victory song Beneath the Southern Cross. Whenever it was shouted after The Oval loss he made sure the squad knew the biggest win was still to come. The crucial success against England, which gave Australia a 3-0 lead, was achieved at Langer's home ground at Perth and he paid close attention to the crowd in his celebrations. At the time it looked like a last wave, but he expects to be back next year for Western Australia.

Another emotional moment arrived today when he formalised the decision at the SCG. His armour remained in tact but there were short periods when a breakdown appeared close. He lived for playing for Australia and his world was shattered in England in 2001 when he was dropped from the Test side. Since his opportunity at The Oval at the end of that tour he has become one of the team's most important players.

This was not a celebrity announcement in the style of Shane Warne and he does not deserve the recognition of Glenn McGrath, who was another bowling superstar. Langer has been a strong, honest and under-rated player for Australia who was almost unbreakable. As his breathing slowed and his eyes threatened to weep when he spoke about cricket being more than a game, he produced a typical Langer response. He tightened up, toughened up and got through. Just like he always did.