'A dream to be a part of this team'

Dinesh Karthik, who on Monday, was named in India's squad for the ICC World Cup 2019, believed he could make it to the playing XI as a specialist batsman after getting a "dream" call-up to India's ICC World Cup squad.

Karthik was a surprise pick in the 15-man contingent, coming in at the expense of Rishabh Pant to be MS Dhoni's back-up behind the stumps, although Pant has been India's first-choice wicketkeeper in Test cricket.

As a result, Karthik is now set to be a part of his second World Cup, and his first in 12 years, having last played in the 2007 edition in the Caribbean. "I am very excited," he told. "It has been a dream for me to be a part of this [World Cup] team for a long time now.”