Indian T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has termed the recent 0-2 series whitewash against Ireland as 'depressing' and called for a calm approach as his team prepares for a five-match T20I challenge against England starting Tuesday at Chester-le-Street.
Iyer admits Ireland defeat was 'depressing'
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Iyer did not shy away from acknowledging the disappointment of the Ireland series. 'It was not embarrassing, but it was depressing for us, because we definitely didn't expect Ireland to play that well,' he said. 'They outplayed us in every department; they had brilliant ideas about the dimensions of the ground, and we fell short in terms of analysing and planning the ground and the dimensions, and how the wicket would be played. So, kudos to them, credit to them, but we learnt a lot from that series.'
The Indian skipper scored just 3 and 10 in the two T20Is against Ireland, but he remains confident in his form. 'The way I am timing the ball in the nets, even in the match in the previous game, I thought I was timing brilliantly, just the odd ball bounced and took an inner edge. That does not justify how my batting is or how much pressure I am taking,' Iyer explained. 'I definitely believe in my instincts. I know how well I play under pressure. So, I just want to keep that faith in me and go forward in the upcoming matches.'
England series a 'completely new chapter'
Turning his attention to the England series, Iyer described it as a fresh start. 'Great opportunity, it is going to be challenging. Definitely, the last series did not go according to our plan. But this series, everyone is in good mind space, and we are definitely looking forward to have an intense game, and great mindset is involved within each other, the group. So, the calmer we are in the pressure situation, it is going to be beneficial for us.'
He highlighted the team's familiarity with English conditions. 'A couple of us have played in England before, and we know the conditions, we know the ideas, we know the dimensions over here. So, looking forward for an intense and challenging series this one,' Iyer added.
Balancing opportunities with senior player security
Iyer also addressed the challenge of team selection, balancing the need to give opportunities to younger players while providing security to established stars. 'We have to build that opportunity and security, so that each individual has confidence going forward into the tournaments. And, the people who have won the last World Cup definitely have an idea of how to play T20, and continuously, they have been the main pillars of that format. So, it's very important to back them.'
Tight-lipped on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut
When asked about the much-anticipated debut of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Iyer remained guarded. 'See, you never know what is going to happen. Our hands are also tied at the moment in terms of what we are going to do. Because this is very private. This is something that we discuss in the team. We cannot let everyone know about what combination we are going to play, and let the opponents know that this is going to happen.'
He did, however, praise the young prodigy. 'So, definitely, he is a brilliant prodigy. And whenever he gets an opportunity to play, definitely, he will do brilliantly,' the Indian captain signed off.
