'Take confidence, not comfort': VVS Laxman warns Team India after Zimbabwe series win
· Yahoo Sports
After suffering back-to-back T20I series defeats against Ireland (0-2) and England (0-4), India finally returned to winning ways by clinching the series against Zimbabwe.
The visitors sealed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a commanding 90-run victory in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday. India will now look to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the third and final match on Sunday.
Despite the convincing series win, head coach VVS Laxman has urged his players to stay grounded and not become complacent.
Speaking to the team after the victory in a video shared by the BCCI, Laxman said the players should take confidence from the performances but not get carried away.
"One more successful day, which means let’s not take comfort from the previous game, but let’s take confidence from the previous game, not get complacent," he told the players.
Laxman praised the aggressive start provided by openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma before highlighting the crucial partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan after India lost two early wickets.
"I think the way we started off, especially Vaibhav and Abhishek, set the tone. Then the crucial partnership - I was just talking to Shreyas; that was a tricky moment after losing two quick wickets, where Shreyas and Ishan used their experience. There was a lot of calmness out there in the middle. At the same time, you put the Zimbabwean bowlers under pressure. At the end of the 10th over, we were 95 without taking too many chances, and there was that positive intent," he said.
The India coach also appreciated the finishing efforts of Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube, who helped the visitors post a match-winning total.
"The way we finished off the innings, the partnership again between Ishan and Tilak, and the aggression and the intent shown by Tilak. And then with Shivam also contributing, fantastic," he added.
Laxman was equally pleased with India's commitment in the field and said every player showed the right attitude throughout the match.
"When we bowled, there were two things which we wanted to do. Can we keep the same intensity on the field like the way we did in the first game? The way each one of you- I don’t want to name or single out anyone, but each one of you put the body on the line and were looking to save every single run. That reflects the attitude in this group," Laxman said.
The visitors sealed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a commanding 90-run victory in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday. India will now look to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the third and final match on Sunday.
Despite the convincing series win, head coach VVS Laxman has urged his players to stay grounded and not become complacent.
Speaking to the team after the victory in a video shared by the BCCI, Laxman said the players should take confidence from the performances but not get carried away.
"One more successful day, which means let’s not take comfort from the previous game, but let’s take confidence from the previous game, not get complacent," he told the players.
Laxman praised the aggressive start provided by openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma before highlighting the crucial partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan after India lost two early wickets.
"I think the way we started off, especially Vaibhav and Abhishek, set the tone. Then the crucial partnership - I was just talking to Shreyas; that was a tricky moment after losing two quick wickets, where Shreyas and Ishan used their experience. There was a lot of calmness out there in the middle. At the same time, you put the Zimbabwean bowlers under pressure. At the end of the 10th over, we were 95 without taking too many chances, and there was that positive intent," he said.
The India coach also appreciated the finishing efforts of Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube, who helped the visitors post a match-winning total.
"The way we finished off the innings, the partnership again between Ishan and Tilak, and the aggression and the intent shown by Tilak. And then with Shivam also contributing, fantastic," he added.
Laxman was equally pleased with India's commitment in the field and said every player showed the right attitude throughout the match.
"When we bowled, there were two things which we wanted to do. Can we keep the same intensity on the field like the way we did in the first game? The way each one of you- I don’t want to name or single out anyone, but each one of you put the body on the line and were looking to save every single run. That reflects the attitude in this group," Laxman said.
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