Mohammad Kaif has said that Pant felt "quite low" when his name was not announced in the squad for the 2019 World Cup.
India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was not selected in the initial squad for the 2019 World Cup. However, during the tournament, he was included in the squad as cover for injured Shikhar Dhawan and went on to play in the rest of the matches since his arrival.
Mohammad Kaif, who is in the coaching staff of Pant's Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals, has revealed that Pant was disappointed when he wasn't selected in the squad.
"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 on former India opener Aakash Chopra's Youtube show, "Aakash Vani".
"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'."
Kaif further said that he, along with others at the Delhi Capitals talked to him and motivated him to look ahead after the shun from Indian squad for the World Cup.
"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.
