Don't put Ramdin 'in orbit'

It is the sort of thing to make you full of pride, and worried for so. Every single former player, commentator, journalist or even occasional cricket fan has been showering praise on Denesh Ramdin's performances for the West Indies on the just-concluded tour of Sri Lanka.

Tony Cozier, who has seen the very high and now the very low and everything in between in 45 years of following the regional side, is always cautious when offering an appreciation of a new talent. But the venerable (I know he can't stand the description so that's why I'm using it) journalist/broadcaster was often straining to control his enthusiasm during his radio commentary stints over the accomplished, polished glovework of the young wicketkeeper, not to mention his more than capable batsmanship and general manner on the field.

Ian Healy, who I have readily dismissed as just another Australian old thief in the wake of two controversial dismissals of Brian Lara many moons ago, was impressed by Ramdin's attitude and response when the former wicketkeeper offered the 20-year-old Trinidadian a few pointers on improving his work behind the stumps.

To cut through all the old talk, Ramdin has all the makings of a West Indies wicketkeeper for a long time to come and captain sometime in the foreseeable future. He has the skill, the confidence and a take-charge attitude that seem set to take him along a path once trod by another Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeping prodigy, Deryck Murray. But given the drastic changes (many will say progression, I maintain it is a deterioration) in our communities and wider society in the 42 years since Murray made his Test debut, Ramdin's toughest challenge is not on the field but off it.

To go through the list of supremely talented players who have shone brilliantly but briefly in the West Indies team only to quickly fade into the shadows of mediocrity and oblivion will take more space than the length of this column allows. Even this alleged pick-up side in Sri Lanka has put a lie to the general braying that there is hardly any talent left in West Indies cricket.

Make no mistake, there is ability in abundance. What is lacking, however, is the level of commitment, discipline and dedication that shapes a precocious talent into a consistent, world-class performer. As everyone knows by now, the reasons for that go way beyond the boundary and deals more with societal issues than a simple case of batting, bowling, fielding and catching.

Which is why anyone with any degree of influence over young Ramdin should be prepared to do whatever they can to ensure that he stays on the straight and narrow and doesn't fall into the trap that so many before him have of becoming preoccupied with the fame and fortune and forgetting what got him there and what could keep him there for a considerable period of time.

In case you happen to be one of those who know the youngster well enough and are saying to yourself that all this negative thing can't happen to this boy, well, trust me, you wouldn't be the first to want to put your head on the block for some gifted player and then watch in shame as the talent goes to waste.

It's encouraging to know that someone like Ian Bishop, who has spent a lot of time coaching in Preysal before studies and television commentary duties took over, has had a role in Ramdin's development. Thankfully, that connection remains, as was very evident during the four weeks in Sri Lanka, and which is why I went to Bishop to make a full-size Johnny-bake out of a seeming salt biscuit matter on the opening day of the second Test in Kandy.

To no-one's surprise, the West Indies were in trouble at 75 for 5 after dismissing the home team for 150. Out strolled Ramdin, fresh from a 56 in his debut Test innings in Colombo a week earlier, collar up and holding the bat halfway up the blade on his way to the middle. The "star-boy" alarm bells started ringing in my head, even before he was dropped before he had scored and then should have been given out leg-before to Chaminda Vaas shortly after.

Justice was done next morning when Vaas got him in his first over. Bishop, who has tired of me arguing with him about almost everything on the face of the earth and up in heavens, agreed that maybe Ramdin had gotten carried away with his success with the bat and behind the stumps at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

It is only a game, but if you start to disrespect it and take it for granted, it will turn around and bite you, and then the thing you thought would always be there will be gone before you even realised it was slipping away.

Overreacting? Taking the enjoyment and satisfaction out of his achievements so far? Maybe, but at a time when the horizon of West Indies cricket is decorated with a multitude of shooting stars, I prefer to stay off the launching pad that wants to place Ramdin in orbit as our next cricketing superstar.

He has done extremely well so far, full stop. Whether his cricketing career will occupy just a few reluctant lines or several glorious pages will depend on the Creator, Ramdin himself and those close to him.