GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has admitted to being impressed by West Indies seamer Ravi Rampaul.
The right-arm Trinidadian fast bowler claimed a career-best four for 37 on Sunday as West Indies rebounded to beat India by eight wickets in the second One-Day International at Sabina Park, to level the four-match series 1-1.
“Rampaul swings the ball really well, bowls in the right area, he forces you to play a big shot like the cover drive,” Dhoni said.
Rampaul’s spell helped reduced India to 82 for eight after they won the toss and batted first, but Dhoni hit a responsible 95 to lift his side to 188 all out.
The Indian skipper was full of praise for the Windies’ new-ball pair of Rampaul and Jerome Taylor, the latter of whom finished with three for 35 from a fine spell of fast bowling.
“I don’t think there was that much in (the pitch) for the bowlers,” Dhoni said.
“They bowled really well, they were swinging the ball well and, when it stopped swinging, they were able to get reverse swing.”
The performance was just reward for the 24-year old Rampaul who has battled multiple injuries throughout his career. He has played 34 ODIs scattered over a six-year period and has claimed 30 wickets.
With the West Indies selectors meeting in St Lucia over the next few days to pick the regional squad to face Bangladesh in the upcoming two-Test series, Rampaul’s Man-of-the-Match performance could weigh heavily in his favour.
“A performance like this has really helped me to come back and play international cricket and improve my confidence a lot,” Rampaul said.
“I have been working hard in trying to make back the team and I felt good bowling. I got a bit of swing with the new ball and picked up a couple of wickets, it was a good return to international cricket.”
West Indies clash with India here in the two final ODIs at the Beausejour Stadium on Friday and Sunday.
