Shreyas Iyer opens up on what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has done before Zimbabwe series

India will begin their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe hoping to put a disappointing run behind them. After back-to-back series defeats against Ireland and England, the visitors are looking for a fresh start, and captain Shreyas Iyer believes the break before this series has given the young squad enough time to learn from their mistakes and come back stronger.

Shreyas backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after difficult debut

One of the biggest talking points from India’s England tour was the performance of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenage opener, who earned his India debut after an outstanding IPL and domestic season, found international cricket challenging and managed scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his three innings.

Despite those struggles, Iyer is confident the youngster has already started working on the areas that troubled him and believes he will be better prepared for the Zimbabwe series.

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“All the youngsters, I think, they have definitely practiced. There was a decent gap after the T20 series. So he (Sooryavanshi) must have rectified where he went wrong. So personally, I don’t have to give much advice.“

India looking to bounce back under Iyer

The Zimbabwe series comes at an important time for both India and their captain.

Iyer is still searching for his first T20I series victory after defeats against Ireland and England. With a young squad at his disposal, the three-match series presents an opportunity to rebuild confidence and return to winning ways.

India’s batting order caved under pressure in the last two series but the team management believes those experiences will help the players grow in the long run.

‘Don’t play with fear of failure’: Iyer

Iyer also had an important message for the young players in the dressing room, asking them not to be concerned about criticism or outside opinions.

According to the India captain, fear of failure prevents players from expressing themselves, while a positive mindset allows them to play their natural game.

“I feel that they shouldn’t have the fear of failure. Because whenever there are such thoughts at the back of your mind, then you just play to survive. When there isn’t the thought of fear of failure, then you can bring out the best from within yourself. So I have to convey this message that you shouldn’t think much about the talk happening outside, what people will say, or as you said if this series goes up or down. We have to stay in the present day. The better cricket we play, the more we play with team unity, the more the team will benefit from it. We’ll think about individuals later,” he said.

Fresh chance to turn things around

India now have an opportunity to leave their recent struggles behind and begin a new chapter against Zimbabwe. With players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi expected to get another opportunity and Shreyas Iyer eager to register his first T20I series win as captain, the upcoming series could prove to be an important step in the team’s preparations for future assignments.