I don’t think India’s return to winning ways is the most crucial thing right now. Of course,  winning is always nice because it helps the well-being and confidence of the players, but I  think there’s a much bigger picture here. India are building towards the next T20 World  Cup, and that means looking at players, trying different combinations and figuring out what  works. I think that’s a very wise approach. Sometimes, when you’re experimenting like that,  the results may be affected, but that’s part of the process. 

Having said that, I thought it was a good series against Zimbabwe. Winning 3-0 is always  pleasing, but what stood out even more for me were the performances of some of the  younger players. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, in particular, had an excellent series. Returning to  a ground where he had earlier smashed 175 in the Under-19 World Cup and then scoring  two fifties there again is going to do wonders for his confidence. 

I’ve never doubted his talent. I think everyone can see what kind of player he is. The real  journey for him starts now. His career is going to have plenty of highs and lows. There will  be disappointments, there will be failures, and he’ll have to come back stronger while  continuing to believe in his method. That’s what I’m going to be fascinated to watch over  the next few years—how he deals with those moments and how much he tweaks his  approach as he gains more experience. 

Some adjustments are inevitable. Playing in England, for example, is very different. It didn’t  go particularly well for him there, but those are conditions he’ll have to learn to adapt to.  The same applies when he plays in the Southern Hemisphere, where the extra bounce  presents a completely different challenge. How successfully he adapts to different  conditions around the world will go a long way in determining how successful he becomes  across formats. 

He’s certainly made an impact already. India hit 18 sixes in the three-match series, and  Sooryavanshi alone hit nine of them. He struck half the sixes the team managed across the  series. That gives you a snapshot of the kind of influence he can have. Overall, I thought it  was a terrific series for him. 

Another player I was really pleased to see was Mayank Yadav. I thought selecting him was  absolutely the right call, and I think India should continue investing in him. When I look at  the makeup of a T20 bowling attack, I believe you need variety. You need genuine pace, leg spin, mystery spin, left-arm options, right-arm options and bowlers who can change things 

up in the middle overs. If you have five or six bowlers who collectively provide all those  skills, you’re on the right path. 

Mayank clearly ticks the genuine pace box. Jasprit Bumrah can’t play every single game.  He’ll need to be rested from time to time, and when that happens India need another  bowler who can consistently bowl at 90-plus miles per hour. That’s why I see Mayank as  such an important player for the future. 

I’d definitely stick with him. There will be days when he bowls brilliantly, and there will be  days when he gets hit around the park. That’s perfectly normal for a young fast bowler.  Learning your trade in international cricket is part of the process, and I think the experience  he’ll gain now will be invaluable. 

I also like Price Yadav and I’d invest plenty of time in him over the next year, just as I would  with Mayank. Those are the kinds of players I’d be looking to build around as India continue  preparing for the next World Cup. 

There are still one or two selection questions that India need to answer before the World  Cup. One of them, in my view, involves Suryakumar Yadav. Personally, I still can’t see a  situation where SKY doesn’t eventually find his way back into the top four or five. That’s just  my opinion, but I think he’s too good a player not to feature prominently. 

Another interesting player is Shivam Dube. I think India need to be very clear about what  they want him to bring to the side. What exactly is going to be his role? What specific skill is  he going to provide? 

If you ask me, I’d spend the next year really working on his bowling. I don’t necessarily see  him consistently batting in the top six. He may float up the order occasionally as a left hander, but I think the biggest value he can bring to this Indian team is with the ball. He  bowled a full spell in one game and another over in the other, but I’d want to develop that  skill much more because I think that’s where his real value lies. 

When you talk about Dube, you can add Suryansh Shedge into that conversation as well. I  think Dube is slightly ahead of him at the moment, but they occupy very similar roles.  They’re both players who can contribute with both bat and ball, so India need to keep giving  them opportunities and see how they develop. 

The other player I’m still thinking about is Rinku Singh. I think he’s a terrific cricketer, but  I’m honestly not sure how he fits into India’s strongest XI when everything is settled. That’s  something the selectors and team management need to work through over the next year.

For me, the No. 6, 7 and 8 positions are where India’s biggest decisions lie. That’s the area  I’d spend the most time working on. Do you go with someone like Dube, who can bat at  seven and bowl a few overs? Do you go with someone like Shedge? Or do you pick  someone like Rinku, who’s an outstanding finisher? Those are the combinations I’d be  trying to settle well before the World Cup. I also feel that fielding is a problem for India that  needs focus on now as we have seen too many dropped catches in recent games. 

Overall, though, I thought the series was a very positive one for India. It’s easy to dismiss  Zimbabwe by saying they weren’t at full strength, but I think that’s a little unfair. They’ve got  some very good players. Sikandar Raza is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket and  has plenty of experience playing in India. Blessing Muzarabani is a genuine threat with the  new ball. They’re obviously not England playing at home, but they’re certainly a side that  deserves respect. That’s why I thought India’s 3-0 win was a really good result.