Shreyas Iyer wore a broad smile as India registered their first victory under his captaincy with a commanding win over Zimbabwe on Thursday. It was a complete performance from the visitors, who outplayed the hosts in all departments to end their losing streak after a difficult tour of the UK. India's bowlers laid the foundation with a disciplined display, restricting Zimbabwe to 125/7 through regular wickets and tight spells. Chasing a modest target, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took the game away from the hosts with a stunning 19-ball half-century. The young opener's fearless knock ensured India raced to the target in just 13.2 overs, giving Iyer a much-needed winning start and restoring confidence within the squad.
“Exceptional and me getting my first win can’t be more happier," Iyer said in the post-match presentation.
The Indian skipper reserved special praise for Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old's explosive knock paved the way for India's comfortable victory over Zimbabwe. The captain hailed the youngster's fearless approach and backed his ability to thrive on the international stage, pointing to his familiarity with the conditions and confidence as key factors behind the stunning innings.
“Exceptional batting by him. He’s a fearless youngster, and the way he approached this innings was indomitable. So, yeah, I think he’s played here before, so he’s got a fair idea about how the wickets are. He’s got 175, I guess, in the under-19 final. So, definitely, he possesses immense confidence when he steps onto the field. So, you could see it today," Iyer praised the 15-year-old.
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{{/usCountry}}When asked if he was disappointed that India could not bowl Zimbabwe out for under 100, Iyer defended his bowlers and stressed the importance of giving everyone enough game time. The India captain said Zimbabwe's middle-order partnership deserved credit and explained that he deliberately rotated his bowlers to help them adapt to the conditions ahead of the remaining matches in the series.
“You know, every team there is going to be a batsman who is going to take the team to the hilt, and they need to post a decent total. I think they analysed the wicket pretty well, and they started building a partnership. That was when I wanted to rotate my bowlers as well and see to it that they get decent rhythm on this track because we are going to play two more matches over here. So everyone is getting chances and opportunities to come and bowl and bat, which actually gives a lot of confidence to them as well," he added.
"Mayank Yadav set the rhythm for us"
He also singled out Mayank Yadav for setting the tone with the new ball, praising the pacer's disciplined spell on a lively surface. The India captain said Mayank's accuracy and ability to exploit the bounce gave Zimbabwe little room to score early, allowing the rest of the bowling attack to build pressure throughout the innings.
"I was anticipating the bounce, and there was a decent amount of bounce on this wicket, especially from the hard length. And also, it was variable at the start. I think I personally feel that in both innings, it was an exceptional start given by Mayank. The way he bowled in terms of executing his line and length, not giving them room to score runs. I think that set the rhythm for us, and then we were coming in the power play, giving us an exceptional start," he said.