DISCARDED West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul has claimed he was once told by a member of the WICB selection panel that looking too fat on television significantly hindered his chances of being selected.The 31-year-old Trinidadian made his debut for the West Indies in 2003 against Zimbabwe and Test debut six years later.

It is commonly thought that several issues with injuries have since led to the bowler failing to hold on to his spot in the team.
Seventeen ODIs on from debut, a then 19-year-old Rampaul was sidelined for over a year with shin splits.
The bowler returned to the ODI squad in 2007 and seemed poised for a consistent spell of top class cricket after an outstanding 2011, but soon after was hit by hamstring and knee injuries.
According to the bowler who made his last appearance in November of last year, he was, however, told injuries have not been his only setback.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have heard that (he is too fat) a lot throughout my career. I train and practise as much as I can because, as I said before, cricket is all that I have. Every time I played for West Indies and any other team, I always give 100%.
“I was told once by a selector that it’s not how I bowl but how I look on television – (that) was the reason I was not selected,” the player recently told Cricbuzz.
Rampaul who recently became a Kolpak player with English County cricket team Surrey claims he had hoped for a return to the team last year, but was left bitterly disappointed.
”At that time (August 2015), I was very interested in playing Test cricket. However, after West Indies aborted the tour in India in 2014, my retainer contract was taken away and I was left out of the 30-man squad for the 50-over World Cup. I was being less and less selected by the West Indies. In fact, I was not selected for that entire year.
All of that played a big part of my decision to go Kolpak with Surrey. Cricket is my profession and I had to take the opportunities that came along.”
The bowler went on to state that he is unlikely to consider any future recalls.

(Sportsmax.com)