India will not take Zimbabwe lightly on the upcoming tour despite the poor showing of the Africans in recent series, declared India coach Greg Chappell, shortly before the team flew out of Mumbai on Monday night.
"India hasn't won in Zimbabwe before, so we won't take them lightly," said Chappell.
The Indian team will play a tri-nation One-Day International series involving the hosts and New Zealand, followed by a two-Test series against the African nation.
Chappell also said India seventh place in the ICC ODI rankings is justified.
"India hasn't been a great one-day side in recent years. After all, rankings don't lie," conceded an infuriated Chappell, who walked out of the press conference, upset by the presence of photographers too close to him.
Talking about India's chances on the tour, he said, "It is not difficult to be successful; it is just a question of getting the players to do the basics right, and hard work and consistency over a period of time."
On the last tour, India could only draw the Test series while it lost in the tri-series which also involved the West
Indies.
India captain Sourav Ganguly was optimistic as always.
"Our form in ODIs is the last year, especially in finals is a worry, but we hope to do well in Zimbabwe."
Ganguly, who returned to the team during the recent tri-series in Sri Lanka after serving a four-match ban for slow over-rate, said completing the overs in time is an area the team will be looking to improve upon.
"The fifth bowler has always been a problem, as we saw again in Sri Lanka [in the recent tri-series] too. It won't be much of a problem in Zimbabwe as the new ODI super sub rule will be used. If we play to out potential we'll beat Zimbabwe.
"India was lucky to get away in Sri Lanka in the last league game because of injuries. It [over-rate] is something me, Greg [Chappell] and the team has to work on."