Hyderabad: Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has revealed that wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant was really disappointed when he was not selected for the 2019 World Cup. Kaif was in the coaching staff of Pant's IPL team Delhi Capitals.
Kaif said that no one in the coaching staff had any doubts about Pant's potential. "His name was not there, and he felt quite low. He is quite an emotional person. He started feeling bad immediately afterwards that he was not selected," Kaif said.
"We picked up on those things. So, we spoke to him a lot. We told him – ‘you are quite young, at the age of 20-21 a player just starts his career. You have already made a name for yourself. You have already won matches for your team'.
"None of us ever had any doubt that he will not be a big player, or he will not perform. We have always maintained that ‘you are a good player, you will get your chance. Just keep doing what you are doing, keep winning matches like you have been doing every year'. We spoke to him on his mental thoughts," Kaif said.
"But he is a class player, there is no doubt on this. You don't get such players. If he is used correctly, then he can be an asset. He is quite young as well, when he plays for two-three years more, he will become an even better player," the former India batsman added.
India were later forced to call up Pant after injuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay Shankar during the World Cup. They were eventually knocked out of the event after a defeat to New Zealand in the semi-final.
