If Saturday's selection for the tour of Australia gave some players a pleasant surprise, it left a few disappointed too. And one of them was Mumbai fast bowler Dhawal Kulkarni.

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Only last year, the seamer was a stand by for the 2015 ICC World Cup Down Under, in which he was the additional team member. Today – rather surprisingly – he doesn't even figure in the selectors' scheme of things, despite being the joint-second highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 14 wickets at an economy of 3.92.

"I was expecting a call, since I went to Australia last year and was part of stand bys for the World Cup," a dejected Kulkarni told dna on Monday. "I was the joint-second highest wicket-taker in Vijay Hazare and I had a feeling that I would be selected. Somehow, I did not," Kulkarni added as he tried to find reasons for his exclusion from the team.

"It is very disappointing that I was not picked. I have always got limited opportunities. Whatever chance I get, I try to prove myself. I thought if I do well in the one-dayers (Vijay Hazare Trophy), I would be back in the team. If I am not performing, I don't feel that I deserve to be there. I have always taken it as a challenge and have performed with the hope of being part of the team," Kulkarni said.

Kulkarni last played for India in Zimbabwe in July, taking two wickets in two games. Prior to that, he played the ODIs against Bangladesh and got three wickets in a couple of games. His best performance came against Sri Lanka in November 2014, where he took eight wickets, with 4/34 in Kolkata his best outing.

The Mumbai-born cricketer said he has always been under pressure to perform.

"I have got limited opportunities, and so I have to perform somehow. Its not that I did not get opportunities. Whatever teams you play, you have to prove yourself. But every match is a pressure game for me. I have to perform and give 100 per cent in every game, otherwise you don't know the future," he said.

The 27-year-old said not just him, but many others expected him to be on the flight to Australia.

"Everybody expected me to be a part of this team. I will have to wait longer. I don't know when my next overseas tour will be. Even the season is coming to an end. I could have been given an opportunity," he said.Kulkarni added that he is ready to take up the challenge to trying to make a comeback.

"I will keep doing my job. I didn't expect to be there for games in India, since spinners play a bigger role. However, I will have to move forward and keep performing. That has always been my attitude. I have gone through this before, but I have always replied by performing. I will start my journey to be where I deserve," he said.

Does he believe that his lack of pace is going against him, considering India are looking for a genuine fast bowler? "I may not bowl 140kmph plus, but I believe in keeping it tight and trying to out-think the batsman. Even Glenn McGrath did not have the pace and did not swing big."