Zimbabwe T20Is: London to Harare, India back in action after three days

Shreyas Iyer & Co may not have quite relished the idea of travelling from Europe to Africa to face an unpredictable Zimbabwe in a T20I series barely days after playing the final ODI against England on Sunday. However, such a packed schedule — driven in part by the BCCI's efforts to help smaller cricket boards generate television revenue — has now become par for the course for the Men in Blue.

The team has tapped into its talent reserves, bringing in several new faces — particularly in the bowling department, with pacers Mayank Yadav and Ashok Sharma joining the squad, alongside specialist T20 batter Rinku Singh. It will also be a refreshing change to see VVS Laxman step in as head coach in Gautam Gambhir's absence. The former India great and director of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, however, is no stranger to the role, having handled similar assignments with aplomb in the past.

A short three-match series against the Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe side, one of the surprise packages of the last T20 World Cup after stunning Australia, could prove tricky at the Harare Sports Club. Shreyas, making his first tour of Zimbabwe, will want his team to maintain its fearless approach despite surrendering its invincible aura after losing the last six matches in the UK.

“We had a rough patch in England, but there were a lot of positives to take from that. We got to know what we need to build as a team going forward, what kind of presence of mind, awareness and adaptability we need once we step onto the field,” he said on the eve of the opening T20I this afternoon.

Shreyas also urged the young members of the squad to play without fear of failure despite the recent scrutiny over India’s performances. “I don’t think they should fear failure because when you have such thoughts at the back of your mind, you end up playing to save yourself. When you don’t have that fear, you can get the best out of yourself.”

“It is definitely very challenging. We arrived 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 also praised Zimbabwe, describing them as a competitive side with several players boasting IPL experience. “They have an amazing team and a good line-up. A couple of them have also played in the IPL, so they bring immense experience,” he said.

Having reached the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup earlier this year, Zimbabwe built on that success by beating Bangladesh in the one-off Test and ODI series. While they faltered in the T20Is, there have been enough signs of a resurgence to build on ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup, which will return to Africa after 24 years.