I am more positive now after WC snub: Pant

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Southampton: India's Rishabh Pant during a practice session ahead of a World Cup 2019 match against Afghanistan at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton, England

Southampton,  Stumper batsman Rishabh Pant is positive despite the World Cup snub, after joining the Indian squad as a replacement to the injured Shikhar Dhawan.

“When I didn’t get selected, I thought may be I didn’t do something right, so I became more positive and focused on how to improve myself. Then I did well in IPL. Then I kept practising,” Pant told India spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in a video posted by BCCI.

Pant was drafted in as cover after Dhawan suffered a thumb fracture during his match-winning hundred against Australia.

“It is one dream for all to make India win. When I came to know that I have been called to England as a back-up, my mother was with me. So I told her, she went to temple and paid her offerings.

“As a cricketer, I always wanted to play a World Cup and perform there and now that I have got this opportunity, I am feeling very happy.”

Virat Kohli-led India have so far won three of their four games convincingly, with the one against New Zealand being washed out without a ball bowled. In their opener, the Men in Blue beat South Africa by six wickets to follow it up with a 36-run victory over fellow favourites Australia.

Against arch-rivals Pakistan in the big-ticket clash, India romped to a 89-run win (D/L method) in a rain-affected tie.