Ravi Rampaul is one of the big names in the Barbados Tridents in the Champions League T20 (CLT20) 2014. The West Indian seamer has made a mark in India and is looking to impose himself in this tournament by using that experience. Nishad Pai Vaidya spoke to Rampaul in the lead-up to their CLT20 2014 campaign.
In the limited-overs format, Ravi Rampaul is quite a threat with his smart variations. The West Indian pacer is amongst the few overseas seamers who have successfully honed their skills in India and made a mark on the slow wickets. At the highest level, India have been troubled by Rampaul on more than an occasion. And, the seamer has also been an important part of the Trinidad and Tobago sides that featured in previous editions of the Champions League T20 (CLT20) and now returns to India with the Barbados Tridents.
“It is basically about assessing the conditions. You have to use the wickets and then use the variations in T20 cricket,” says Rampaul, who has unleashed his armoury in India on numerous occasions. The slower ball is of course a weapon, and needs to be used he feels. “In T20 cricket, you need to have variations, but it is important to use it at the right time. You also have to have a look at the wicket. For example, here in Mohali, there is a bit of grass, so a slower ball may not be a useful weapon,” says Rampaul.
Rampaul is one of the big names in the Barbados Tridents and is one of the pillars for them for this tournament. They are without their biggest stars in Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith. James Franklin, Rampaul’s teammate believes Barbados’ youngsters get the chance to shine. “Yes, it is sad losing them. But, there are good players coming in to replace them. Also, the youngsters have a lot of potential,” says Rampaul.
Though the big names shined through the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Rampaul believes it was a complete team effort that won them the tournament. He says, “We all played together as a unit with everybody chipping in. Yes, Shoaib got most runs, but it wasn’t the stars alone who contributed. There were others who also made contributions.”
Back in 2009, Rampaul had come down to India with the Trinidad side under Daren Ganga and they smashed their way into the finals. The flamboyance with which they played cricket caught the attention of the public and there was a wave of support for the side. “That was the first CLT20. We had a good team with a lot of confidence then. This time, it is an honour to be playing for Barbados,” says Rampaul.
In the days ahead, Rampaul is looking forward to making a serious contribution for Barbados in the CLT20 2014. He is up for the challenge of bowling to some dangerous batsmen and using his experience on Indian surfaces to emerge victorious.
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