End of an era: Ross Taylor announces his retirement from international cricket
Ross Taylor (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
New Zealand stalwart Ross Taylor has announced that he will retire from international cricket post the completion of the upcoming home season. New Zealand are set to lock horns with Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, starting January 1. The second Test in Christchurch will be Taylor’s last Test for New Zealand. He will skip the following Test series against South Africa but will play the six ODIs against Australia and Netherlands, that will be his final series for the Kiwis.
Taylor is one of the veterans of New Zealand cricket. He is the highest run-scorer for the team in ODIs and Tests. The batter has played in 110 Tests, scoring 7584 runs at an average of 44.87, including 19 Hundreds. In 233 ODIs, he has 8581 runs to his name at an astonishing average of 48.20. He also has staggering 21 Hundreds to his name. While Taylor failed to win a World Cup with New Zealand, the win in the Test Championship is a great achievement.
“It’s been an amazing journey and I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country for as long as I have,” Taylor said. “It’s been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way.
“But all good things must come to an end and the timing feels right for me. I want to thank my family, friends, and all those who have helped me get to this point,” he added.
Taylor wants to end his career on a high note and is keen to do well in the few games left in his international career. “There’ll be plenty of time for more thank-yous and reflections later in the season – but for now I want all my energy and focus to be on preparing and performing for the Blackcaps this summer,” Taylor concluded.
