21 Interesting facts about Ravi Rampaul: A Fighter

21 Interesting facts about Ravi Rampaul: A Fighter: Fast bowlers are meant to be daunting, tall, heavily built and into the opposition. And a perfect example is Ravi Rampaul. This West Indian quick is revered for his ability to strike with the new ball and swing it both ways at pace. He can also bowl long spells. A pivotal member of the 2012 West Indies team that lifted the T20 World Cup, he is certainly no slouch with the bat either, as he proved against India in 2011 smashing an unbeaten 86 off just 66 balls at number 10. On his 31^st birthday let us look at

21 Interesting facts about Ravi Rampaul: A Fighter

1. Birth

He was born on 15 October, 1984 in Preysal, Trinidad and Tobago.

2. Unique

Ravi Rampaul is the first quick bowler of Indian descent to represent West Indies at international level.

3. The attributes

Sending the ball down at brisk pace, Rampaul maintains an immaculate seam position, maximising his chances of early deviation through the air or off the pitch.

4. Fighting with Injury

For a long time, though, it seemed Rampaul might never fulfill his potential at international level, as he did little of note in his first six years in international cricket, partly due to injury.

5. Unlucky

He was picked to tour southern Africa in 2003-04, and England later that year, but he broke down and returned home, shin splints sidelining him for more than a year.

6. Youth Cricket

Rampaul played youth cricket for West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago, playing at the World Under-15 Challenge in England in 2000, and at the 2002 Under-19 World Cup, before breaking the record wicket tally in the regional youth tournament in West Indies after taking 45 wickets in five matches during the 2002 tournament.

7. The breakthrough

After playing six further matches during the 2002–03 season, and taking 18 wickets Rampaul was selected for West Indies Under-19s in the 2003–04 Red Stripe Bowlone-day tournament.

8. Unimpressive International debut

With fantastic domestic performances Rampaul was called to represent West Indies on their tour to Zimbabwe in 2003. He went wicketless in his first ODI game.

9. Dismal

Rampaul played in four of the five ODIs that followed the Test series. He failed to take a wicket in the series, which West Indies eventually claimed 3–2 with a win in the final game.

10. Resurgence

He dominated league cricket in Trinidad, often featuring in the list of leading wicket-takers. After a three-year hiatus, in 2007, Rampaul was called to don the maroon cap again.

11. Commendable

In 2008 he registered his first four-wicket haul, against a sturdy English unit, and a dip in his economy rate had been duly noted, too. Another four-wicket haul soon followed, this time against an aggressive Indian batting line-up at Kingston, Jamaica, in 2009, a game West Indies went on to win by eight wickets.

12. The best Year

The year 2011 was perhaps the best of his cricketing-career, thus far. He picked up his first five-wicket haul – that in a World Cup fixture – against a revered Indian batting order at Chennai. The feat was sadly for West Indies in a losing cause.

13. In Vain

In the home Test series against India in 2011, Rampaul was key to West Indies with his ability to strike with the new ball and get the ball to move both ways. He ended with 10 wickets in the 3 match series that the hosts lost 1-0.

14. Fabulous

In 2011, he smashed the record of the highest score by a number 10 batsman in ODIs, scoring 86* against India in Visakhapatnam in the second game of the 5 match ODI series played in India.

15. IPL

The 2013 season was Ravi Rampaul’s first tryst with the IPL and the strapping pace bowler made it a memorable one. He picked up 13 wickets in 10 matches, often getting crucial breakthroughs for his team, RCB.

16. Champions League T20

Rampaul’s best season in CLT20 was when he finished as Trinidad and Tobago’s leading wicket-taker in the 2011 edition with 12 scalps at 6.25 rpo.

17. 2012 T20 World Cup

West Indies won their maiden T20 title, and Rampaul had an integral role to play. Operating with the new ball, the skiddy bowler used his ability to move the ball at a brisk pace and was often rewarded with early wickets.

18. Held his nerve

Rampaul bowled a superb last over in his side RCB’s win over Delhi Daredevils in a nail-biting clash in IPL 2013.

19. Harsh

Rampaul was not included even in probables list when the Caribbean selectors announced the 30 man squad for the 2015 World Cup.

20. A curtailed tour

Rampaul played two ODIs during the 2014-15 tour of India in October before the series was cancelled because of a dispute between the West Indies players and the WICB.

21. Career in numbers

In 18 Tests he has picked up 49 wickets at an average of 34. In the 90 ODIs he has 115 wickets to show for at an average of 29.