Watch: "I am not here" — VVS Laxman breaks silence on permanently replacing Gautam Gambhir as head coach

The stand-in head coach of the Indian side, VVS Laxman, during the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, earned the series victory by a 0-3 margin, with Shreyas Iyer being the captain, along with a mix of veterans and fresh faces in the squad. 

Laxman, the former Indian batter and the head of the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), took the leadership responsibility as Gambhir was on break after the two successive T20I series against Ireland and England. The latter will return to the job during India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

VVS Laxman's full statement on taking over as India's head coach

After the third T20I against Zimbabwe, Laxman was asked whether he would replace Gambhir as head coach. He was modest in his response, denying any chance of that happening. 

Watch Laxman's statement here- 

“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.” Laxman expressed this in the post-match press conference.  

“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.” He revealed.

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Laxman also added how he enjoyed coaching the team along with his role at the CoE, as he would cherish his time in Zimbabwe to engage a different group of players.

“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.” The former Indian batter addressed.  

How India fared under Laxman in the ZIM vs IND T20I series

In the opening T20I of the three-match series against Zimbabwe in Harare, India earned a vital victory by seven wickets in the 126-run chase as it also became the very first T20I victory for Shreyas Iyer as the leader of the blue brigade.

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In the second T20I, the tourists continued the same strong performance and posted a massive score of 219 runs with the bat before restricting the hosts to 129 to get the victory by 90 runs. The series ended with another clinical victory of the Indian side by 35 runs in their defence of 192 runs.

Fans react to VVS Laxman's comments on replacing Gambhir

The fans have shown their emotions and desire in accepting Laxman as the new Indian head coach in place of Gambhir on the social media platforms-