New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) India captain Shreyas Iyer hailed the hunger and determination of the team’s young players after guiding the side to a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe, saying their eagerness to seize every opportunity was the driving force behind the turnaround.
Speaking after securing his maiden series victory as India’s T20I captain, Iyer explained how contributions from the emerging core, led by youngsters such as Mayank Yadav and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, helped India recover from successive series defeats to Ireland and England.
The Zimbabwe triumph marked a significant milestone for Iyer, who had endured six consecutive defeats at the start of his tenure, two against Ireland and four against England, before his side responded with three straight wins to complete a clean sweep.
“I feel when you step out on the field, you could see that hunger in all these youngsters who want to represent the team. They know how the competition is back in India. So, whenever they step on, they want to see to it that they contribute to the best of their abilities and see to it that they win matches,” Iyer said in a BCCI video.
That hunger, according to the skipper, translated into impactful performances throughout the series, with several young players stepping up at crucial moments.
Among those singled out was pace bowler Mayank Yadav, whose willingness to absorb instructions and execute plans impressed his captain.
“Mayank, I feel that his approach and his attitude was a standpoint in this tournament. I interacted with him during the match and every ball he was asking me what I should do. And the best thing about him was that he was able to execute whatever we decided. So, that’s very heartening to see,” he added.
Iyer also highlighted the influence of teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose aggressive starts gave India early momentum and allowed the middle order to build on solid foundations.
“With Vaibhav, we know what he can get to the table. Especially the starts which he gave in almost the two games, which were very crucial as a team. He set the rhythm for us and then Ishan coming in, Tilak coming in. You know, contribution from each and every individual wins you matches. So, today was another opportunity for us and we seized it,” he mentioned.
Having watched different players shoulder responsibility across the three matches, Iyer said the collective effort reflected the standards the squad had set internally rather than an obsession with results.
“It’s a very special feeling; I can’t mention it in words. Representing the country and winning the first series, it’s something that you always dream of as a player. And I personally feel that as a team we had set a standard for ourselves, rather than thinking much about the outcome and it pretty well worked for us,” Iyer expressed.
–IANS
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