Zimbabwe all-rounder Ryan Burl says the Chevrons will take valuable lessons from their T20 International series against India, insisting the team is making steady progress despite falling short against the world's top-ranked side.
Speaking after the conclusion of the series, Burl admitted Zimbabwe would have preferred to end the campaign with a victory but said there were encouraging signs the team can build on ahead of next year's T20 World Cup.
"We were a little bit disappointed because it would have been nice to finish with a victory at the end. But we've got to take our small wins where we can, so it is a positive," Burl said.
Burl highlighted several performances that stood out during the series, singling out fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani for praise after his impressive new-ball spells.
"I think there are quite a few things that we can take forward. It was really nice to see Blessing. His first couple of overs in all three games were exceptional," he said.
The experienced all-rounder also acknowledged that while Zimbabwe's batting powerplays did not go according to plan, the bowling unit showed encouraging signs, particularly through captain Sikandar Raza, Wesley Madhevere and Brian Bennett.
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"There were obviously a few things that didn't quite go our way that have been quite successful in the past, like our powerplays with the bat. But Raz controlled their batters quite well in the first game. Wesley and even Bennett, in the one over he bowled, controlled Suryavanshi quite well. Using the conditions with a really big off-side, I thought they bowled really well."
Burl said the team remains focused on long-term improvement as Zimbabwe continues experimenting with different combinations ahead of the global tournament.
"There are positives and there are things we've got to take away from this because that's what makes us better players and a better team altogether. With the big picture of the World Cup, which is over a year away, we're trying a few new things. You can see there are different combinations we're going with in our line-ups. We've just got to keep putting one foot in front of the other and working hard."
Commenting on teammate Brad Evans' passionate on-field celebrations, Burl dismissed any concerns, describing the all-rounder as a fiercely competitive player.
"Brad's obviously a really competitive person and it's really nice to see him coming through with the bat of late. He's been working hard behind the scenes. He's one of those guys you want in your team because they're always up for it, always throwing themselves around in the field, and he took a really good catch."
Burl was also full of admiration for India's teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, saying the youngster's stroke play was unlike anything he had seen.
"It's hard to describe. From a playing perspective, it looks like the guy is playing PlayStation. Some of the positions he gets into and some of the shots he's hitting, not many other people are doing that. It's nice to be on the field and see it. It's a spectacle. It's a bit annoying because we're on the receiving end, but he's a special player. I feel like he's playing stick cricket or PlayStation."
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