Newly appointed India captain Smriti Mandhana believes the team still has work to do in the T20I format despite its recent success in the ODI World Cup.
With the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy scheduled for early next year in India, Mandhana noted that India would look to improve its performance in the shortest format ahead of the tournament.
The six-team Women's Champions Trophy will be hosted by Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium and the BCA Stadium in Vadodara from February 14 to 28.
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The upcoming series against Zimbabwe will provide the team with an opportunity to prepare for the competition.
Mandhana is set to begin her first assignment as India's full-time captain when the team takes on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series starting Friday. The two sides will then play three ODIs in Vadodara.
Mandhana took over the captaincy from Harmanpreet Kaur and will now lead India as the team looks to build on its recent ODI World Cup success.
"The first bilateral series with Zimbabwe, I think, is very exciting. It is our first time playing them," Mandhana told reporters on Wednesday.
"Sometimes, playing against Zimbabwe and other Associate nations, it feels like you can learn a lot from them as well because they enjoy playing their cricket."
"Sometimes, we get caught up in a lot of things professionally. You can learn a lot from them. But again, we have six T20 matches before the Champions Trophy as an Indian team, so we will look to set standards as to how we approach the next three months leading up to the Champions Trophy," Mandhana added.
Smriti Mandhana On India's T20I Preparations
Mandhana said India would aim to make the most of the six matches against Zimbabwe, with the T20Is offering valuable preparation ahead of the Women's Champions Trophy.
"We have won the World Cup in the last one-and-a-half years, but there were a few things we needed to work on in the T20 format, especially," she added.
"But I would say our strength has been the players who have come in. They have done extremely well. On the first day, I wouldn't really want to talk about weaknesses.
"There are a lot of things we need to work on. We need a lot of things to fall into place. But I think today is the day to talk about good and positive things," Mandhana noted.
The India captain acknowledged that winning the ODI World Cup was a significant achievement but stressed that the team could not afford to become complacent in the T20I format. She pointed out that India needed to improve in several areas to be better prepared for the upcoming challenge.
The focus will be on identifying areas that require attention and using the Zimbabwe series to strengthen the team's preparations for the tournament.
Mandhana On Taking Over As Full-Time Captain
Mandhana also spoke about her new responsibility as India's full-time captain, saying the role would not be an entirely unfamiliar challenge..
Having been part of the team's leadership group for a long time, she is accustomed to the responsibilities that come with leading the side. Her experience within the group could help her manage the transition as she takes charge of the team.
"I have been the vice-captain for almost 10 years. So, I have been part of the leadership group and I wouldn't say it is an entirely new thing. But, for sure, it is something to look forward to and hopefully I can do justice to the role," Mandhana explained.
India Captain Backs Young Talent
Mandhana also expressed confidence in the young players coming through the ranks, backing the emerging talent to contribute to India's plans.
"Jemimah (Rodrigues) has been injured for the last two months. But I think we have some exciting players. Anushka (Sharma) and Niki (Prasad), who have done really well for India A, and of course G Kamalini, who batted at No. 3 in the Asian Games," the 30-year-old said.
"We have a lot of options and I am really positive that they will do well," she added.
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With the Women's Champions Trophy approaching, the series against Zimbabwe will allow India to assess its options and work on areas that need improvement.
The team will hope to carry the momentum from its ODI World Cup triumph into the T20I format as it prepares for another major tournament.
(With PTI inputs.)
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