VVS Laxman Openly Speaks On Permanently Replacing Gautam Gambhir

VVS Laxman and Gautam Gambhir [Source: X and AFP]The current stand-in head coach of the Indian cricket team is VVS Laxman, the former cricketer and the head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE). He has just triumphed over Zimbabwe 3-0 with Shreyas Iyer as the captain and a mix of veterans and fresh faces in the squad. Soon after the humiliation of the India men's senior team in the Ireland and England T20I whitewashes, the Zimbabwe win feels like a new wave of energy that has also given rise to speculation over whether Laxman will permanently replace Gautam Gambhir as the Indian head coach. Putting all the rumours and speculations to rest, VVS Laxman himself addressed the issue while speaking at the post-match press conference after India's T20I tour of Zimbabwe ended.Will VVS Laxman Replace Gautam Gambhir As India’s Head Coach?Speaking about whether he would replace head coach Gambhir, Laxman was modest in his response as he outright denied any possibility of that happening. Laxman stressed the fact that Gambhir and the senior team support staff are on a break before the Sri Lanka Test series, which begins in August. Hence, Laxman was merely a replacement during their break and is not being considered for a full-time role in Gambhir's place. “Look, captain, the head coach, and the support staff of the senior team, you know, they just finished their series in England, and they're going to have a Test series in Sri Lanka. So, this is the only break they have, and that's the reason I chipped in. This has been happening for the last four years, since the time I took on the role of the Head of Cricket at the COE,” Laxman shared.Also Read- BCCI Postpones Review Meeting; VVS Laxman To Be Assessed Alongside Gautam GambhirFurthermore, Laxman added that he enjoyed coaching the team alongside his role at the COE. His time in Zimbabwe is something he will cherish since it allowed him to engage with a different group of players apart from the regular senior men's and women's teams. “For me, it's a great opportunity to spend time with the players. You know, in this role, it's been quite a fulfilling experience, where I'm not only working with the senior Indian cricketers, both men and women, but also being part of the entire pathway program. Credit to the BCCI, they've invested a lot of time, effort, and money into the development programs, and I think me, taking care of that has been a very satisfying role so far," Laxman concluded.When Will VVS Laxman Coach India Next?Although Laxman has fared well in his coaching duties for India, it is highly unlikely that he will be seen again replacing Gautam Gambhir anytime soon for any bilateral series or ICC tournaments. However, Laxman is set to coach the team at the 2026 Asian Games as well. Since the Asian Games will overlap with the opening leg of India's home series against the West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir will remain with the senior side while Laxman will take charge of the squad travelling to Japan. Former India spinner Sunil Joshi will serve as the bowling coach during the Asian Games, while former India batter Hrishikesh Kanitkar will take over as the batting coach.How Did VVS Laxman Fare With His India Coaching Duties?VVS, a classy batter of his era, has frequently been appointed as the BCCI's interim or stand-in head coach of the senior Indian men's national cricket team. His record as India's coach has been pretty impressive. In 2022, he led the team to a 2-0 series win against Ireland. In the same year, during the ODI series against Zimbabwe, Laxman guided the team to a 3-0 victory under KL Rahul's captaincy. At the 2023 Asian Games, Laxman led the team to a gold medal. On the Zimbabwe and South Africa T20I tours in 2024, India again won 4-1 and 3-1, respectively, under Laxman's guidance. Hence, apart from the 2022 Asia Cup, VVS Laxman boasts a solid win rate as India's coach and would like to continue this momentum at the upcoming 2026 Asian Games as well.Also Read- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Warned By Indian Head Coach To Improve This Aspect