Ahead of T20I series, Virat Kohli predicts Rishabh Pant's future, speaks about MS Dhoni

After picking India's squad for the three series in West Indies, chief selector MSK Prasad had said that they were now looking to groom Rishabh Pant for the future and give him a consistent role as a primary wicket-keeper batsman in all the formats. Ahead of the first T20I, skipper Virat Kohli too has backed Pant to come good in international cricket and show his true potential.

"It's a great opportunity for someone like Rishabh Pant to really play a lot of international cricket, show his credentials, really unleash his potential at this stage," Kohli said.

'These younger guys have a great opportunity'

The captain also wanted the other players to step up and make a name for themselves. Apart from this, Kohli also spoke about MS Dhoni and said that the seasoned campaigner's experience will always be on offer, but the younger guys have an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

"We know how much ability he has and we all want him to become a consistent performer for the Indian cricket team. MS's experience is always going to be a very crucial factor but having said that some of these younger guys have a great opportunity ahead of them and they should just look forward to it," he further added.

Speaking on the first training session after their exit from the World Cup, the captain said that the players were excited to be back on the park playing the sport. He also said that he was looking forward to creating a buzz and generate interest in the USA.

"Yesterday the fielding session and the little bit of time we spent on the field was really good. Everyone was excited, looking forward to just playing, just being on the field again. I think that's the best thing you can do as a team, just get on the park as soon as possible," Kohli added.

In a largely new squad which has plenty of youngsters, only six players - Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar - remain from the India squad which came to Florida three years ago. Rahul was the star of the first match and the second match could not be completed.