After the team's poor run in England, India skipper Shreyas Iyer wants his players to play fearlessly and not be burdened by criticism. He claims that the recent losses have only strengthened the team ahead of the three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe.  

On July 23, 25, and 26, India will play three Twenty20 Internationals in Zimbabwe. All of the matches will be hosted at the Harare Sports Club.

After a dismal white-ball tour of England and Ireland, India arrives in Zimbabwe, but according to Iyer, the team has recognized its areas for improvement.

"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 in his pre-match press conference ahead of the 1st T20I.

Iyer made his T20I captaincy debut during the England and Ireland series. The captain, who is visiting Zimbabwe for the first time, stated that getting used to the new environment quickly would be the most difficult task.

"Some of us are playing here for the first time, so the quicker we adapt, the better results we will get. 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.

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,” Iyer added.

Iyer acknowledged the demanding schedule after India's players traveled directly from England, with just one training session before the series opener.

"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 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,” he added.

When Iyer thought back on his own recovery from injuries, he claimed that the time spent recovering had made him more resilient.

"It has made me more confident as an individual. When you overcome the injury phase, mentally it makes you very positive. Whatever challenges you face on the field, you know how quickly you can overcome them. There can be ups and downs, but the quicker you analyze and execute what you want to do, the better it is for the team," he said.

Iyer stated that the experience in England and Ireland would make Sooryavanshi and the other young players on the team wiser. The historic India debut of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did not go as planned.

“All the youngsters, I think, 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," Iyer concluded.

(PTI inputs)