Ravi Rampaul: I'm Ready

Ravi Rampaul was enjoying a well-earned vacation with his parents in the U.S. when the call came. Under-19 team manager Roland Sampat was on the telephone with the thrilling news that he was on the West Indies Test squad for the Zimbabwe tour.

"I thought he was joking. I asked him over and over if he was sure. Then, a couple of minutes later, Brian (Lara) called to say 'congrats'. When I heard Brian on the phone , I was really, really excited," Rampaul said in an interview with CaribbeanCricket.com

"I had a feeling I would make the team someday but not for this tour. All the rest of the fast bowlers were fit so I thought, maybe, I'd go to the Under-19 World Cup and do well and get into the team later?But when I heard Brian on the phone saying he was looking forward to working with me, that made me very happy," the Trinidadian fast bowler related.

Rampaul, who celebrated his 19th birthday last week, has long been identified as a can't-miss prospect in the fast bowling ranks. After bursting onto the scene at the Costcutter Under-15 World Cup in 2000, Rampaul's stock rose dramatically during his domination of the Under-19 ranks.

In 2002, he ended the tournament with 45 wickets, including a 10-wicket haul against an overmatched 'Americas' side and 21 wickets in the semis and finals against Jamaica and Barbados respectively.

During that Barbados final, Rampaul was badly overbowled as Trinidad smelled victory but it came with a price -- a potentially serious back injury.

After extensive rehab, Rampaul bounced back in Guyana this year, again dominating his age level to finish with 42 wickets (in the ODI and three-day versions). In between that, he appeared in nine first-class games for Trinidad & Tobago and proved that he was ready to play with the big boys.

But the concerns over his balky back remained and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sent him to be examined by biomechanics expert Dr Richard Stretch in Jamaica.

Rampaul's selection, described as "unanimous" by chairman of selectors Viv Richards, has left fans around the Caribbean worried that he is being rushed too fast but the teenager insists he's ready to take the next step.

"I bowled hard in Antigua and I had no problems with the back. I'm totally fit and ready for this tour," Rampaul declared.

The evidence bears him out. In Antigua during the Red Stripe Bowl, with Sir Viv monitoring his every move, Rampaul was impressive. Mixing aggressive short-pitched bowling with an inswinging yorker, he was easily the 'star' of the show.

Here's Sir Viv's description of Rampaul in Antigua: "I certainly felt there were times when he stuck up guys up with the short ball. I have had some encounters with fast bowlers in the past and just seeing the way he worked at batsmen, the short balls and then that inswinger in terms of reverse swing and most times when he did it, he was reasonably successful."

"The way I have seen this guy bowl, he interests me in such a way, that I believe it's vital that we did pick him. We were totally unanimous in making that selection...It was pace, but you can have pace and still not be intelligent with how you use that pace," Richards added.

For Rampaul, the Red Stripe Bowl success didn't come as a surprise. "I had a good Under-19 tournament and I was feeling well. I trained hard coming into the Red Stripe and I expected to do well," he explained.

While the experts rave about his aggressiveness, Rampaul believes it can be a double-edged sword. "At times, I think I was too aggressive. I was trying to get wickets with every ball instead of trying to contain batsmen. I can be aggressive and be successful but it can also work against me. I have to be very careful," he admitted.

One thing that excites Rampaul is the fact that Kenny Benjamin will be on the tour as assistant coach with responsibility for the fast bowlers.

"I worked with Coach Kenny in Antigua and at Preysal. We did some video work together and he gave me examples of things I can do to stay healthy and be successful?I am very comfortable with him," Rampaul said.

In Zimbabwe, Rampaul says he'll be setting personal goals and is not worried about overbowling at a tender age. "I know how to keep fit. I have to continue to work hard to stay fit and healthy during the tour. I'm not worried because I know I'm ready," he declared.