TnT has moved out of Jamaica

Rampaul continued: “I have fully recovered from the shin splints and as long as I stay fit, it should not be a problem.

“I haven’t been able to play for a while, and during that time, all I could do was think about the West Indies team and how I wanted to help but there was nothing I could do.

“You have to wait for the in jury to heal”

To keep fit, Rampaul had been spending most of his time at the gym, doing both weight-training and cardiovascular workouts, while he kept his edge for the game by developing his batting -- one hour in the nets three times a week was his regular routine.

“I am fit; I have been doing a lot of running and my batting has improved significantly,” Rampaul stated.

“Those workouts in the nets were really good for me; I think my (batting) technique has improved but more importantly, I think I have learnt to be more patient while batting.

“I used to be a very aggressive batsman but I am trying to pace myself a lot better and that’s because of those extended knocks I had in the nets.

“I have always fancied my batting and once I can get back into the West Indies team, I want to be the sort of lower-order batsman who can come in and score a hundred.

“I am the sort of player who likes to be in the game, whether batting or bowling.”

The talented allrounder -- bowling right arm medium pace and batting left handed -- has now set his sights on returning to the national team for the Stanford 20/20 Tournament later this month.

“I know I have to start from scratch with the national team,” Rampaul revealed.

“There are lots of young players doing exactly what I do -- Richard Kelly and Dwayne Bravo are the leading allrounders but the more allrounders in the team, the better it is for the team.

“That was one of the main reasons Trinidad and Tobago was able to do the double this year.

“We had a very long batting line-up and the allrounders provided many bowling options for the captain (Daren Ganga).”

During his two-year hiatus, Rampaul did return to national duty for the President’s Cup One Day tournament in Barbados in 2005, but the defending champions lost every match in the series. Rampaul’s return to the game proved to be premature, as the shin splints were aggravated, and he was forced to miss the 2006 Carib Beer Cup.

“I came back too early and that was a disaster,” Rampaul concluded.

“It was really frustrating.

“But about one month ago, the doctor (Terry Ali M.D.) told me I am fully fit to return to competitive cricket.

“It is not going to worry me; I am not going to think about the injury.

“I will stay focussed and positive and hope for the best.

“It was a difficult time for me being away from the game but I had some good people around me encouraging me; (former West Indies fast bowler) Ian Bishop stayed in contact with me throughout and he told me never to give up, and he understood my misery because he also had a serious back injury during his career.”

Rampaul believes regional cricket is on the upswing with the recent ODI success against India and the narrow loss 0-1 in the four-Test series, and he wants to be part of the resurgence of the West Indies team.

“The guys are improving,” Rampaul reasoned.

“They are playing much better as a team now.

“It may sound ambitious but my eyes are on the World Cup.

“I want to help West Indies get back on top and it is very encouraging to see the guys lifting their game and being about to take the battle to India.

“If the players are prepared to work hard, I am sure we can continue to improve and compete against the best teams in the world.

“I still have the hunger for success; the desire to play has not diminished.”

When asked what he would do if the injury returns and he has to give up the game, Rampaul responded:

“I will become a spinner … it looks like the West Indies needs a couple of good spin bowlers.”