NEW DELHI: India captain Shreyas Iyer believes his team’s disappointing white-ball tour of England and Ireland has laid the foundation for future success, insisting 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 what was Iyer’s first assignment as India’s T20I captain, the visitors will now look to turn the page when they face Zimbabwe in the opening T20I on Thursday.Rather than dwelling on the setbacks, Iyer said the challenging tour offered valuable lessons about the team’s mindset, adaptability and decision-making under pressure.“We had a rough patch in England, but there were a lot of positives out of that. We got to know what we have to build as a team going forward, what kind of presence of mind, awareness and adaptability we need once we step onto the field,” Iyer said on the eve of the series opener.
‘Don’t fear failure’
With India looking to bounce back immediately, Iyer urged his young squad to embrace an attacking mindset instead of worrying about criticism or the fear of failure.“I don’t think they should fear failure because when you have such thoughts at the back of your mind, then you play to save yourself. When you don’t have that fear, you can get the best out of yourself,” the skipper said.“We don’t have to think much about what people are saying outside. We have to stay in the present. The more we play good cricket and play together as a unit, the better it will be for the team,” he added.The captain added that the difficult results had only strengthened the bond within the dressing room.“The results didn’t go our way, but that has brought the team closer to each other. We’ve been having a lot of discussions about how we’re going to play as a unit going forward. It’s a great exposure because you don’t get this often. This is a challenging phase, and the quicker you overcome it, the better you become as a team,” Iyer said.
Quick turnaround, fresh challenge
India have had little time to regroup after travelling directly from England, with only one practice session before the opening match in Zimbabwe.Calling the schedule demanding but exciting, Iyer backed his team to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions.“It is definitely very challenging. We came yesterday, today is practice and tomorrow is the match. But it is fun, and if you perform well in these situations, you will definitely be happy with yourself,” the new captain said.The 31-year-old, touring Zimbabwe for the first time, acknowledged that adjusting quickly would be crucial.“Some of us are playing here for the first time, so the quicker we adapt, the better results we will get,” he added.Iyer also warned against underestimating Zimbabwe, praising the hosts for having an experienced squad with several players who have featured in the IPL.“They have an amazing team and a good lineup. A couple of them have also played in the IPL, so they carry immense experience,” he said.
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