Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who was on Monday named in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, said it was a dream come true to be a part of the team.

“I am very excited. It has been a dream for me to be a part of this team for a long time now,” he said.Karthik Monday returned to India’s World Cup squad after 12 years, trumping Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s heir apparent Rishabh Pant in a selection move that will be debated for a long time.

The second wicketkeeper was the sole bone of contention for the marquee event starting in England and Wales on May 30 and the 33-year-old Karthik’s experience of 91 ODIs gave him the edge over the 21-year-old Pant, according to the five-member selection panel headed by MSK Prasad.