India’s T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer admitted the team got a reality check on the UK tour ahead of the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. India was stunned by Ireland 0-2 and then suffered a 0-4 series loss against England.
The visitors could not bring their best in the English conditions and Iyer said it would be imperative for them to adapt to the new conditions as soon as possible. Iyer’s captaincy stint with the national team didn’t start on a positive note as he is yet to register a single win as a leader.
“We need to adapt as soon as we can. That’s what we failed to do in Ireland. That was a reality check,” Iyer said in the press conference on the eve of the first match.
“We had a rough patch in England but 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.
“The results didn’t go our way. That has brought the team closer together. We’ve been having a lot of discussions about how we are going to play as a unit going forward, especially against Zimbabwe right now.
“This is going to be a great challenge for us. Some of us are playing for the first time, so the quicker we adapt, the better result we would be getting.”
Iyer said he would look to hit the ground running in Zimbabwe and get the best out of his players.
“It is also my first time here in Zimbabwe. I will look forward to adapting as quickly as possible,” the India skipper added.
“I want to bring the best out of them [youngsters] as captain. The young bowling group should not have the fear of failure. Because when fear plays on the back of the mind, then you start playing defensively. When there is no fear of failure, it brings out the best in you.
“The message I want to convey to the young players in the squad is to not think about what’s being said outside and the recent see-saw of results. We have to stay in the present.
“If we play good cricket, play with unity, the team will benefit. Individual performance comes later.”
The first T20I between India and Zimbabwe will be played at Harare on Thursday.
