‘There were a lot of positives’: Shreyas Iyer reflects on ‘tough’ England tour, calls for fearless approach in Zimbabwe

Indian captain Shreyas Iyer during the T20I match against England. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: India captain Shreyas Iyer believes his team’s disappointing white-ball tour of England and Ireland laid the foundation for future success and insists the difficult phase brought the team closer 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 turn the page when they take on Zimbabwe in the opening T20I on Thursday.Rather than dwell on the setbacks, Iyer said the tough tour offered valuable lessons about team mindset, adaptability and decision-making under pressure.“We had a rough patch in England but there were a lot of positives from that. We learned what we need to build as a team going forward, the presence of mind, awareness and adaptability we need once we step on the field,” Iyer said on the eve of the series opener.

“Don’t be afraid to fail”

With India looking to bounce back immediately, Iyer urged his young squad to adopt an attacking mindset instead of worrying about criticism or fear of failure.“I don’t think they should be afraid of failure because when you have those thoughts in the back of your mind, then you’re playing for the save. When you don’t have that fear, you can bring out the best in you,” the captain said.“We don’t have to think too much about what people outside are saying. 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 only strengthened the bond in the dressing room.“We didn’t get the results but it brought the team to each other. We had a lot of discussions about how we will play as a unit going forward. It’s a great exposure because you don’t get that often. This is a tough phase and the quicker you get through it, the better you become as a team,” Iyer said.

Quick turnaround, new challenge

India had little time to regroup after traveling straight from England, with only one practice session before the opening match in Zimbabwe.Calling the schedule challenging but exciting, Iyer encouraged his team to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar conditions.“It’s definitely very challenging. We arrived yesterday, today is training and tomorrow is the match. But it’s fun and if you perform well in those situations, you’ll definitely be happy with yourself,” said the new captain.The 31-year-old, who was visiting Zimbabwe for the first time, acknowledged that quick adaptation would be key.“Some of us are playing here for the first time, so the faster we adapt, the better results we will achieve,” he added.Iyer also warned against underestimating Zimbabwe and praised the hosts for having an experienced squad with several players who have featured in the IPL.“They have an amazing team and a good line-up. A couple of them have also played in the IPL, so they have huge experience,” he said.