Denesh Ramdin

Ramdin began playing cricket as a fast bowler but took up wicket-keeping because he was bored when not bowling. According to Ramdin he did not receive much coaching early in his career, though he did have sessions with David Williams and Jeff Dujon in which he worked on his wicket-keeping.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/214408.html |title='I used to get bored when I wasn't keeping' |first1=Nagraj |last1=Gollapudi |first2=Denesh |last2=Ramdin |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=27 July 2005 |access-date=10 June 2012}} He eventually captained both the West Indies' and Trinidad at Under-19 level.

When the West Indies toured Sri Lanka in July and August 2005, the 19-year-old Ramdin was the only wicket-keeper in the 15-man squad, taking over from the incumbent Courtney Browne.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/211465.html |title=Ramdin included in West Indian squad |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=19 June 2005 |access-date=22 May 2012}} Brown did not play international cricket after he was replaced by Ramdin and retired later that year at the age of 34.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/223200.html |title=Courtney Browne retires |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=26 October 2006 |access-date=22 May 2012}} At the time of his selection, Ramdin had played in just first-class games of experience with three scores above fifty including one century. On Test debut Ramdin scored 56 runs before he was bowled by Gayan Wijekoon who was also playing his first Test.{{citation |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/82/82991.html |title=f48731 t1755 Sri Lanka v West Indies: West Indies in Sri Lanka 2005 (1st Test) |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=10 June 2012}} The West Indies embarked on the tour with only three of their first choice players (aside from captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul the rest of the West Indies players had just one Test century between them) because of a dispute over sponsorship and as expected lost both Tests.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289037.html |title=Sri Lanka v West Indies, 2005 |first=Tony |last=Cozier |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 June 2012}} The Indian Oil Cup 2005 with Sri Lanka and India followed the Tests and Ramdin played his first ODIs in the tournament.{{citation |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83168.html |title=a16759 o2263 India v West Indies: Indian Oil Cup 2005 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=10 June 2012}}

The West Indies toured Australia in October and November 2005. Australia, rebuilding after losing the Ashes earlier that year, won all three Tests.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/289071.html |title=Australia v West Indies, 2005–06 |first=Peter |last=English |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 June 2012}} The West Indies did not register a century partnership until the fourth innings of the series when Ramdin, who scored 71, combined with Dwayne Bravo in just his seventh Test.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvwi/content/story/226549.html |title=Rejuvenated by new blood |first=Peter |last=English |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=20 November 2005 |access-date=10 June 2012}} In his five other innings in the series Ramdin managed a total of 100 runs, finishing with an average of 34.20 and scoring more runs in the series that his Australian counterpart Adam Gilchrist.{{citation |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ausvwi/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=2620;type=series |title=The Frank Worrell Trophy, 2005/06 / Records / Most runs |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 June 2012}} During the series he received advice from Gilchrist and former Australian Test 'keeper Ian Healy regarding his batting and keeping.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvwi/content/story/227014.html |title=Ramdin sets high standards |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=24 November 2005 |access-date=10 June 2012}} The West Indies next engagement was against New Zealand in February and March 2006. Of the nine international matches on the tour – three Tests, five ODIs, and a Twenty20 International – the West Indies won a single ODI and drew one Test, while New Zealand won the rest.{{citation|title=New Zealand v West Indies, 2005–06|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/290925.html|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 June 2012}} Ramdin managed just 33 runs in the Tests,{{citation |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/nzvwi/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=2705;type=series |title=West Indies in New Zealand Test Series, 2005/06 / Records / Most runs |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=10 June 2012}} and 92 runs in the ODIs{{citation |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/nzvwi/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=2698;type=series |title=West Indies in New Zealand ODI Series, 2005/06 / Records / Most runs |access-date=10 June 2012}} However such was Ramdin's importance to the side that he was one of seven players the West Indies Cricket Board were considering to take over as captain when Shivnarine Chanderpaul resigned from the position in April.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/244301.html |title=Lara in running for captaincy |first=Mark |last=Pouchet |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=14 April 2006 |access-date=10 June 2012}}

At this time Ramdin was competed to be first-choice wicket-keeper spot to Carlton Baugh in ODIs. Ultimately, only Ramdin was selected for the 2007 World Cup. However, Ramdin went on to cement his place as the West Indies wicket keeper in all forms of the game and was the vice-captain at one point, following the resignation from that position of Ramnaresh Sarwan. Ramdin scored his maiden Test century against England in the fourth Test at Barbados in 2009, going on to score 166 in a drawn match. He hit two centuries in the 2009–10 Regional Four Day Competition in the West Indies, at an average of 113.33, amassing 340 runs in 6 innings.

When South Africa toured in May and June 2010 Ramdin managed 63 runs in the three-Test series and 34 runs from five ODIs.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/515658.html |title=Ramdin awaits Windies recall |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=18 May 2011 |access-date=28 May 2012}} The run of poor form meant Ramdin's central contract with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) was not renewed in August 2010.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/475334.html |title=Sarwan, Taylor and Ramdin cut from WI contract list |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=31 August 2010 |access-date=28 May 2012}} After a 2010–11 season in which Ramdin scored 460 runs in the Regional Four Day Competition, he was recalled to the team for the ODI series against India.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-australia-2012/content/story/557025.html |title=Ramdin injured, replaced by Baugh for ODIs |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=11 March 2012 |access-date=28 May 2012}} When the WICB announced its list of centrally contracted players in October 2011 Ramdin was not included.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/535292.html |title=Samuels, Fidel Edwards given WICB contracts |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=22 October 2011 |access-date=28 May 2012}}

In November 2011 Trinidad and Tobago named Ramdin as their captain, replacing Darren Ganga.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/541026.html |title=Ramdin appointed Trinidad and Tobago captain |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=18 November 2011 |access-date=29 May 2012}} Under his leadership, Trinidad & Tobago won the Caribbean Twenty20 held in January 2012. Ramdin followed this up by finishing as his team's leading run-scorer in the 2011–12 Regional Four Day Competition.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/563348.html |title=Denesh Ramdin hopes to cement Test spot |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=1 May 2012 |access-date=29 May 2012}} When the West Indies toured India in November and December Ramdin was the first-choice wicket-keeper for the ODI leg and played in all five matches. He managed 164 runs in the series,{{citation |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=6938;type=series |title=Records / West Indies in India ODI Series, 2011/12 / Most runs |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=29 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704124133/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=6938%3Btype%3Dseries |archive-date=4 July 2015 }} 96 of which came in a 153-run loss to India in the fourth ODI. The innings was the highest score by a West Indies 'keeper in ODIs.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-west-indies-2011/content/story/544186.html |title=Sehwag wins series for India with record 219 |first=George |last=Binoy |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=8 December 2011 |access-date=29 June 2012}}{{citation |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=2;filter=advanced;keeper=1;orderby=runs;size=10;team=4;template=results;type=batting;view=match |title=Statistics / Statsguru / One-Day Internationals / Batting records / West Indies wicketkeeper highest scores |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=29 June 2012}} The West Indies lost the five-match series 4–1.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-west-indies-2011/content/story/544823.html |title=Pollard special not enough for West Indies |first=Siddarth |last=Ravindran |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=11 December 2011 |access-date=29 June 2012}}

A broken right thumb sustained in March forced him to miss the ODI series against Australia that month. After recovering from the injury Ramdin was recalled to the Test squad to tour England in May and July, replacing Baugh who had not contributed as many runs as the selectors hoped.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-west-indies-2012/content/story/562966.html |title=Ramdin and Samuels back for West Indies |first=Daniel |last=Brettig |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=27 April 2012 |access-date=29 May 2012}} Playing his first Tests since 2010 he set himself a target of scoring three half-centuries in the three-Test series. West Indies lost the first two matches and Ramdin made scores of 6, 43, 1 and 6,{{citation |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353720.html |title=f54044 t2043 England v West Indies: West Indies in England 2012 (1st Test) |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=10 June 2012}}
•{{citation |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353721.html |title=f54052 t2044 England v West Indies: West Indies in England 2012 (2nd Test) |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=10 June 2012}} prompting former player Viv Richards to remark "Ramdin just looks out of sorts. When he first came into the game I felt he was a huge prospect. For some reason he has deteriorated in such a big way. Just the way he is walking back, he looks like a totally lost guy."{{citation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18230186 |title=England v West Indies: Sir Viv Richards lambasts batsmen |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2012 |access-date=10 June 2012}} In the final Test of the series Ramdin struck his second Test century, managing 107 not out. At the fall of the ninth wicket Ramdin was joined by Tino Best and the pair built a 143-run partnership, the highest stand for the tenth wicket by the West Indies and the third highest in Test history.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-west-indies-2012/content/story/567957.html |title=Best's great day brings West Indies cheer | first =David |last=Hopps |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=10 June 2012 |access-date=29 June 2012}} On reaching his century, Ramdin produced a piece of paper from his pocket on which he had written a message for Richards the night before. The message read "Yeah Viv Talk Nah". The ICC fined Ramdin 20% of his match fee for "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game".{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-west-indies-2012/content/story/568096.html |title=Denesh Ramdin fined for gesture |first=Nagraj |last=Gollapudi |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=11 June 2012 |access-date=29 June 2012}} He later expressed regret over the incident, exclaiming; "It's been a few years since that incident. What I did then happened at the heat of moment. When I look back, today perhaps with age, I have become wiser and would not have taken that piece of paper out of my trouser's pocket,"..."I have put the past behind and now myself and Viv are good friends."{{Cite web |date=9 July 2015 |title=Denesh Ramdin regrets flashing "Yea Viv Talk Nah" note |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/denesh-ramdin-regrets-flashing-yea-viv-talk-nah-note-304076 |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=cricketcountry.com |publisher=Press Trust of India |language=en}}

In the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Ramdin claimed a catch from batsman Misbah-ul-Haq. However television replays showed that the ball was not caught, and the matter was referred to the match referee. Ramdin was fined his full match fee and suspended for two matches.{{citation |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-champions-trophy-2013/content/current/story/640499.html |title=Ramdin suspended for two ODIs |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=10 June 2013 |access-date=11 June 2013}}

In July 2013, Ramdin was dropped from West Indian squad for the first two ODIs against Pakistan in Guyana. Ramdin has hit only one half-century since his recall to the West Indies one-day side in October 2011 and has been dropped in several recent matches both during the Champions Trophy and the home tri-series which also featured India and Sri Lanka. In Ramdin's absence West Indies used opener Johnson Charles behind the stumps, and haven't picked any specialist wicketkeeper in the squad.

In December 2013, Ramdin scored 107, in the third test against New Zealand at Seddon Park. This is the highest score by a West Indian wicketkeeper vs New Zealand in test match cricket. Ramdin's knock was also his third century in an away test, equalling Clyde Walcott's record for most overseas hundreds by a West Indies wicketkeeper.{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Ian Anderson in |date=2013-12-19 |title=Denesh Ramdin to the rescue for West Indies |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/9537472/Denesh-Ramdin-to-the-rescue-for-West-Indies |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=19 December 2013 |title=Denesh Ramdin equals record for most tons by a Windies keeper away from home |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/denesh-ramdin-equals-record-for-most-tons-by-a-windies-keeper-away-from-home-1525820 |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=NDTVSports.com |language=en}}

His 200-run partnership with Shivnarine Chanderpaul was only the eighth double-century partnership for the sixth wicket by West Indies batsmen. Ramdin and Chanderpaul came together with the West Indies score at 86 for 5 – the lowest score at which a West Indies pair, where the batsmen added 200 or more runs for the sixth or lower wickets, had begun the partnership.

In March 2014, Ramdin notched his maiden hundred in the third and final One-Day International against England. Ramdin scored 128, the first century by a West Indies wicket-keeper in ODIs though the regional side eventually fell short by 25 runs, to concede the series 2–1.

In August 2014, Ramdin scored 169 in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh at Warner Park, Basseterre, Saint Kitts. He then and there notched the highest ODI score by a West Indian batsman at home in the Caribbean surpassing Desmond Haynes' 152 not out against India at Bourda in Georgetown, Guyana in 1989. This was also the highest ODI score by a West Indian wicketkeeper. Ramdin's hit 11 sixes in his knock, the second highest by a West Indies batsman in ODIs, one short of Xavier Marshall's 12 sixes against Canada in 2008. Ramdin's 11 sixes in this match are also the highest by a wicketkeeper in an innings, beating Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 10 sixes against Sri Lanka at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur in 2005.{{Cite web |date=2014-08-26 |title=Ramdin creates West Indies' home records |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/21432503/denesh-ramdin-creates-west-indies-home-records |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=ESPN |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2014-08-26 |title=Ramdin and Bravo bully Bangladesh as Windies claim series |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-cricket-bangladesh-idUKKBN0GQ07520140826 |access-date=2023-04-25}}{{Cite web |date=2014-08-26 |title=Rampaging Ramdin racks up records |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20140826/rampaging-ramdin-racks-records |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |language=en}}

In March 2014, Ramdin affected four stumpings in Pakistan's innings at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur equalling the record for the most stumpings in a T20 international. He was named as wicket keeper of the 'Team of the Tournament' by Cricinfo.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/content/story/735589.html|title=Power, pace and spin: The team of the tournament}} Kamran Akmal also had affected four stumpings in a match against the Netherlands in the 2009 World T20.

In May 2014, Ramdin was named captain of the Test side and took over from Darren Sammy who remained the T20 captain. West Indies then had three separate captains for all three formats with Dwayne Bravo as ODI skipper. Ramdin's first assignment was the home series against New Zealand which began with a 2–1 series loss in June 2014.

Ramdin was also appointed, in May 2014, as captain of Caribbean Premier League outfit Guyana Amazon Warriors.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 May 2014 |title=Ramdin to Captain Guyana Amazon Warriors in LCPL 2014 |url=https://www.inewsguyana.com/ramdin-to-captain-guyana-amazon-warriors-in-lcpl-2014/ |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=I News Guyana |publisher= |language=en}} He later skippered the Combined Campuses and Colleges in their 2022-23 Super50 Cup campaign.{{Cite web |last=Ramphal |first=Vidia |date=28 October 2022 |title=Ramdin captains CCC team in Super50 Cup {{!}} Loop Trinidad & Tobago |url=https://tt.loopnews.com/content/ramdin-captains-ccc-team-super50-cup |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=Loop News |language=en}}

On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/global-t20-canada-complete-squads |title=Global T20 Canada: Complete Squads |work=SportsKeeda |access-date=4 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.crictracker.com/global-t20-canada-league-full-squads-announced/ |title=Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced |work=CricTracker |date=4 June 2018 |access-date=4 June 2018}} In July 2020, he was named in the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29417692/nabi,-lamichhane,-dunk-earn-big-cpl-2020-draft |title=Nabi, Lamichhane, Dunk earn big in CPL 2020 draft |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=6 July 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/teams-selected-hero-cpl-2020/ |title=Teams Selected for Hero CPL 2020 |work=Cricket West Indies |access-date=6 July 2020}}

He is an ethnic Indo-Trinidadian and a practising Hindu.

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Category:1985 births

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