INDIA stand-in-coach V.V.S. Laxman believes Zimbabwe have the makings of a strong side but must develop quality spin options if they are to compete consistently at international level, following India's 3-0 T20I series sweep at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
The reigning T20 World Cup champions sealed the whitewash with a 35-run victory in the final match, with the tourists' batters and bowlers executing their plans effectively throughout the series.Laxman, who led the touring party in the absence of Gautam Gambhir and India's senior team management, attributed the result to precise execution and a clear team mindset.
"Execution of the plans. Especially in T20 cricket, you make the plans and can you go out and execute that to perfection? I thought not only the batters but also the bowlers executed their plans to perfection," Laxman said of his youthful side.
"There were three things we promised ourselves to do in this series. Number one was play courageous cricket. Second, show full commitment. And the last one was show and display our character. The boys ticked all the three boxes."
Asked to assess Zimbabwe's performance across the series, Laxman identified spin bowling depth as the area where the hosts most need to grow.
"What I saw in Zimbabwe? If they can find those spinners, I think it will be a very good side," he said.
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The remark follows a series in which Zimbabwe's bowling attack struggled at times to contain India's top order, despite disciplined spells from Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza in the earlier matches.Laxman also credited the surface and the fight shown by Zimbabwe in the final game, particularly their bowling plans against India's teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who top-scored with 81.
"It was a huge wicket, the wicket which we played the match on yesterday. The ball was stopping and coming, the wicket was slow. I thought today the Zimbabweans bowled well, they had a plan to him. He countered that plan and it was a very mature knock from Vaibhav," Laxman said.
Laxman added that the tour had been valuable in exposing India's younger players to international conditions, while suggesting Zimbabwe's development pathway would benefit from greater depth in spin bowling.