New Delhi: Captain India Shreyas Iyer Believes his side’s disappointing white-ball tours in England and Ireland have laid the foundation for future success and insists the difficult phase has brought the squad closer together ahead of the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.After enduring a winless campaign in England and Ireland in Iyer’s first assignment as India’s T20I captain, the visitors will now turn a new leaf when they face Zimbabwe in the first T20I on Thursday.Rather than dwell on the setback, Iyer said the challenging tour provided valuable lessons on the team’s mindset, adaptability and decision-making under pressure.“We went through a difficult time in England but there were a lot of positives. We know what we have to build as a team going forward, what kind of composure, awareness and adaptability we need once we step on the field,” Iyer said on the eve of the series opener.
“Don’t be afraid of failure”
With India looking to bounce back immediately, Iyer urged his young team to embrace an attacking mentality rather than worry about criticism or fear of failure.“I think they shouldn’t be afraid of failure because when you have that in your heart, you save yourself by playing. When you don’t have that fear, you can bring out the best in yourself,” the captain said.“We don’t have to think too much about what people are saying outside. We have to stay in the moment. The more we play and play together as a unit, the better it will be for the team,” he added.The captain added that the difficult result only strengthened the bond within the dressing room.“The results didn’t go our way, but it brought the team closer together. We have been discussing how to move forward as a group. It was great exposure because you don’t get that opportunity very often. It’s a challenging phase and the quicker you get over it, the better you will become as a team,” Iyer said.
Fast turnaround, new challenges
India were given little time to regroup after starting straight from England and had just one practice session before the opener in Zimbabwe.Calling the schedule demanding but exciting, Iyer backed his team to quickly adapt to the unfamiliar conditions.“It’s definitely very challenging. We came yesterday, today it’s training and tomorrow it’s a game. But it’s fun and if you perform well in these situations you’ll definitely feel good about yourself,” said the new captain.The 31-year-old, who is visiting Zimbabwe for the first time, admitted a quick adjustment was crucial.“It’s the first time for some of us to play here, so the quicker we adapt, the better results we can achieve,” he added.Iyer also warned against underestimating Zimbabwe, praising the hosts for having an experienced squad with several players having featured in the Indian Premier League.“They have a good team and a good squad. Some of them have also played in the IPL, so they have a lot of experience,” he said.
