VVS Laxman urges India to stay grounded after sealing Zimbabwe T20I series

India head coach VVS Laxman urged his players to remain grounded after clinching the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Praising the team's batting, bowling and fielding intensity, he stressed the need to draw confidence from victories while avoiding complacency ahead of the final match.

Harare: India’s head coach VVS Laxman urged his players to draw confidence rather than comfort from their commanding performances against Zimbabwe after the visitors sealed the three-match T20I series with a game to spare.

India clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead with a comprehensive 90-run victory in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday after posting 219/5 and bowling Zimbabwe out for 129.

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Addressing the team after the win, Laxman praised the group’s attitude while warning against complacency despite successive dominant displays. “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 in a video shared by the BCCI.

The former India batter highlighted the aggressive start provided by openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma before crediting the experienced duo of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan for stabilising the innings after 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.

Laxman also applauded the finishing touch provided by Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, whose 94-run stand for the fourth wicket powered India past the 200-run mark before Shivam Dube added useful late runs.

“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.

The head coach was equally pleased with India’s intensity in the field and the discipline shown by the bowlers, saying the team’s commitment reflected the culture being built within the squad.

“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.

He also singled out leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for controlling the middle overs and praised debutant pacer Yash Thakur for his contribution on his first appearance.

“The second one is the way, again, Bishnoi had full control in the middle overs, not giving away anything easy. And the way Thakur bowled on debut,” he said.

India will now look to complete a 3-0 clean sweep when the two sides meet in the third and final T20I on Sunday.