Indian captain: Shreyas Iyer insisted that he is ready to take on the challenges of leading the national T20I side, saying that he always believed that the opportunity would come after consistent performances for his IPL franchise and the country. Iyer, who was appointed as India’s new T20I captain in place of: Suryakumar Yadavsuffered a tough start to his tenure as India suffered a 2-0 series defeat to Ireland in Belfast. However, ahead of the five-match T20I series against England, the skipper remains focused on learning from the experience while building a new identity for the team. “Honestly speaking, it is not surprising. I expected it at some point of time. I have done well in previous IPL tournaments, whenever I represented the country. So, it didn’t come to me as a surprise. But, at the same time, I feel it’s a great opportunity for me to learn from everyone around who has been part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad, the team management, support staff and some individuals who have played,” Iyer told BCCI.TV. The 31-year-old admitted that captaining India was the fulfillment of a childhood dream and described the responsibility as one of the proudest moments of his career. “As a kid, you always dreamed of playing for the Indian team. Now, you get a chance to lead the Indian team. I think this is icing on the cake. It means a world,” he said. Reflecting on the journey that landed him in the leadership role, Iyer credits the support system around him while acknowledging the hard work behind his rise. “It’s definitely a result of the hard work you’ve put in and the support you’ve received from fans, family and friends. It’s hard to explain the feelings in words.” Iyer also described the aggressive brand of cricket he wants his team to play, saying he hopes to instill a fearless mindset that puts opponents under pressure from the moment India take the field. “I just like to threaten opponents. I want to have an aggressive, fearless way when I step on the field. I want my troops to rally with that mindset where opponents are a little scared of our personality and appearance on the field. It’s like a war for me when I step on the field. I want to win every game and that is the mindset I want to imbibe in each and every individual. “Relentless, ruthless and determined. No pressure, but at the same time, it can be challenging. What I want to do is accept the challenge. I want it to be challenging, because I thrive under pressure,” he said. Speaking of the head coach Gautam GambhirIyer’s message to the squad, Iyer revealed that the team is treating this round as the beginning of a new chapter despite India’s recent T20 victory in the World Cup. “Gauti bhai mentioned in one of his interviews that we are world champions. This is a new paragraph that starts all over where I am the team leader and we start from zero again.” The captain also reflected on India’s disappointing tour of Ireland, admitting the results fell short of expectations but insisting the series offered valuable lessons, especially for players experiencing English and Irish conditions for the first time. “Not really the start we wanted, but a lot to learn coming in new conditions. Most of the players are playing for the first time in England and Ireland too, so it’s a learning curve for them too. Also we have to build that friendship where each and everyone starts to support and trust each other again.” India’s batting has struggled throughout the series in Ireland, with the top order failing to provide a strong start in either match. However, the bowling attack has shown encouraging signs, especially through debutant Prince Yadav, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. With England presenting a significantly tougher challenge, Iyer will now look to register his first series win as India’s T20I captain while implementing the fearless and relentless brand of cricket that he believes will take the team forward.