Jaffer highlighted that Laxman has already worked closely with the current crop of players.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has endorsed VVS Laxman as the ideal successor to Gautam Gambhir for the role of head coach of the Indian men's cricket team.
Jaffer emphasized that Laxman has already worked closely with the current crop of players, often stepping in to coach the team during various interim tours.
Laxman currently serves as the Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and has frequently served as India's stand-in head coach when the primary coach is rested.
Gambhir took over as the head coach of the Indian team in July 2024 with a contract running through 2027 ODI World Cup.
Look ahead to the transition period at the end of Gambhir's term, Jaffer said on his YouTube channel: "There is no doubt that whenever Gambhir goes, Laxman can be the guy. He has played a lot and worked with these guys a lot. In between, he keeps going with the team on tours. He is a tremendous cricketing brain and a very likeable person who gels well with the players. He could be the perfect change after Gambhir. I don't see anyone else right now."
Jaffer highlighted Laxman’s immense contribution to Indian cricket, his exceptional domestic performance, and his reputation as one of the most respected and gentle personalities in the sport.
"He has played a lot of domestic cricket and performed. He is a very nice guy and one of the most loving ones. You will not hear anything bad about him from anyone, he is such a personality. Sachin and Dravid have their own place, similarly, Laxman had his own place. He was a tremendous player too. His innings of 281 especially changed Indian cricket," he added.
Under Laxman’s coaching, the Indian team sealed the ongoing three-T20I series against Zimbabwe with a game to spare.
Jaffer was pleased to see the young fast bowlers getting opportunities and making an impact in the first two T20Is.
"We spoke about Ashok and Mayank being selected on potential. It was good to see them do well. It is a good sign for the Indian team. Yes, this challenge was against a team we expected to win, but we saw in Ireland that we could not, so we must not take it for granted," he stated.
Mayank overcame a major two-year injury layoff to deliver Player-of-he-Match performance in the first T20I against Zimbabwe. However, Jaffer has doubts over his long-term future in demanding red-ball format.
"I don't think Mayank will play a lot of red-ball cricket as he is injury-prone. I don't see him playing Ranji Trophy, to be honest. If he plays Vijay Hazare, that is only a lot, as the injuries are a lot. But Ashok Sharma plays. Prince Yadav should also play red-ball cricket, as you get bowling fitness from there itself, to make the foundation strong," he remarked.