Harare, 21 July 2026:
India vice-captain Tilak Varma said the team is determined to apply the lessons learned from its recent tours and return to winning ways when it faces Zimbabwe in a three-match Twenty20 international series in Harare.
The first T20I will be played July 23, followed by matches July 25 and July 26.
Speaking at a pre-match news conference, Tilak said India’s recent series in Ireland and England had provided valuable experience for a relatively young squad entering a new international cycle.
“Honestly, it has been a big learning experience since the last series,” Tilak said. “We are looking forward, and we want to follow our basics and do well in the coming series.”
Tilak said the players were prepared for the demands of international cricket, having gained experience in domestic competitions, India A matches and the Indian Premier League.
“Everyone has played enough domestic cricket and A-series matches,” he said. “They have also played in the IPL, so they understand how to execute on a bigger stage.”
Tilak warned that Zimbabwe would present a significant challenge, pointing to the host nation’s victory over India in the opening match of the teams’ previous T20I series in Harare.
“Zimbabwe are a very good and competitive team,” he said. “We know they will come hard at us, but we want to focus on our basics and play our best cricket.”
The vice-captain said India’s recent results should be viewed in the context of difficult overseas conditions. He noted that many of the players had spent much of the previous two years playing in Asia before facing Ireland and a strong England side.
Tilak said the team’s priority was to remain calm under pressure, maintain a positive dressing-room environment and support every member of the squad.
“The results will come, but it is important to create positive energy in the team and back every individual,” he said. “It can take one match or one series to build momentum again. We want to execute our plans well in this series and get that momentum back.”
After training in Harare, Tilak described the playing surface as good but said India would need to adjust to the large boundary dimensions, cool weather and windy conditions.
Several players in the current squad were part of India’s previous tour of Zimbabwe and have shared information about how the pitches are likely to behave.
“The players have discussed the conditions and the importance of finding the gaps because the ground dimensions are big,” Tilak said. “Our preparation is going well, and we are excited to play the series.”
Tilak also addressed criticism of his scoring rate during the tours of Ireland and England. He said his approach was determined by the match situation and the role assigned to him by the team management.
“I always do what is required for the team,” he said. “If I have to take time and play until the end, I will do that. If the situation requires me to attack, I will attack.”
Tilak said aggressive batting was not always the correct option when India had lost several wickets during the power play.
“I can go out and attack from the first ball, but I am playing for the country and there are responsibilities,” he said. “The team’s plans change according to the situation, and I play according to the responsibility given to me by the management.”
Looking ahead to the series, Tilak said India’s batters were prepared for Zimbabwe’s fast-bowling attack but would need to adapt quickly to any changes in the pitch conditions.
“As a batting group, we have been together for the last two series,” he said. “The conditions are not completely different, but there may be a slight change in the wickets. We have to adapt quickly and play our best cricket.”
