KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Despite his slumping batting form, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has been given a vote of confidence by new West Indies coach Ottis Gibson.

The 25-year-old is the region’s first choice gloveman but has struggled with the bat of late in both Tests and One-Day Internationals, raising questions about his continued place in the side.

Gibson explained Ramdin’s absence from the final XI for the second ODI against Zimbabwe in Guyana last week as the player being “rested” and said the Trinidadian’s presence in the side was important for upcoming assignments.

“I wouldn’t like to say he was dropped, he was obviously rested. He’s been having some finger issues. We wanted to see what (Andre) Fletcher can do at the top of the order as well as with the gloves,” Gibson said.

“Denesh Ramdin is our best keeper. If we have all of our best players back batting wise then we need our best keeper behind the stumps and he is certainly our best keeper.”

Ramdin, who averages 23 in 39 Tests and a miserable 19 after 75 ODIs, has accumulated a mere 104 runs in his last seven innings and has looked out of sorts in recent stints at the crease against Zimbabwe.

After falling for a 16-ball eight in the first ODI, Ramdin was promoted to bat at number four on his return to the team for the third game in St Vincent, a move Gibson said had been strategic in order to ensure a left-hand, right-hand combination against the Zimbabwean spin-based attack.

“Denesh has done it before for the West Indies and he did a good job [batting up the order] … he rotated the strike quite well when he was in a little partnership with Shiv (Chanderpaul) and he did the job that was required of him,” Gibson explained.

Ramdin made his international debut five years ago and has been a virtual fixture in the side since then.

He was appointed vice-captain on the tour of New Zealand in 2008 but relieved of the position ahead of the ODI tour of Australia last month.

Despite this, he captained the side in the one-off Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe when regular skipper Chris Gayle was rested.