Rahane, 35, returned to the Indian Test team this year after a great IPL season and a strong performance in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this year.
However, he flopped twice with the bat, once again raising concerns about his consistency.
“Rahane will have to show consistency in his game which has been his problem even though he went 80-90 Tests (84). Consistency has been a problem, he will have to overcome it as India have a good captain option in him after Rohit Sharma.
“Rahane will have to run some errands and then everything else will follow,” Jaffer told media during an interaction hosted by Jio Cinema on Friday.
Jaffer said India selectors see a strong captaincy option in Rahane.
“If his form was great from that Australian series after those 36 all-outs, the way he led, scored a hundred in Melbourne… if his form had stayed the same he would have been the next Test captain. But he lost his form and was dropped,” he said.
“However, he reinvented himself in the IPL and had a chance in the WTC finals. He was also made vice-captain as India coaches see him as a good leader. He still has age on his side but he has to score points, if he doesn’t he will struggle,” he added.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s return to the Test squad will also be difficult, according to Jaffer, as the new WTC cycle of 2023-25 will focus on younger players.
“As for Pujara, I think it will be a bit difficult in the future,” said the former India flyhalf.
“You also need to start looking at the new boys for the next round of the World Test Championship. Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pants will come back. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been successful. (Shubman) Gill will play in all three formats. I think it will be difficult for Pujara to come back.”
Jaffer, who has played 31 Tests and two ODIs for India and holds several national records, believes Gill will have to learn the batting trade at No.3, especially on slow and low wickets.
“Looking at the big picture, he wants to play there longer. But the start hasn’t been as he wanted.
“In that test match and in that inning he had a good chance, the wicket was good, (the team) had a good start. I felt he was playing a bit loose and obviously he’ll be disappointed with that dismissal, and that’s where he needs to tighten up. He likes the ball to come to the bat, because of so much white-ball cricket he’s used to hitting upside,” he said.
“He wants that pace that you find in white-ball cricket. But in red-ball cricket, on wickets like these, probably in India when he’s playing, it’s not easy to play on the upside. He just needs to figure that out and improve his game under those conditions.”
Jaffer said Jaiswal had a fantastic start to testing cricket which many players can only dream of.
“It’s been a dream start, there’s no doubt about it. Anyone who gets 170 (171) on his debut and follows that up with a fifty (54) is a dream start that everyone would wish they had. He’s on the right path, I’ve known him since 2013-14 since he was working with Jwala Singh (coach) and I was also involved,” he said.
Asked about India’s T20 squad for the West Indies series, Jaffer expressed amazement at the inclusion of Umran Malik.
“I am surprised by the selection of Umran Malik. We have seen him concede many runs in T20 cricket. He is more suited for Test or One Day cricket. He has to learn the art of T20 cricket. I don’t think he is ready for T20 cricket.”
(With PTI entries)
