New Zealand Batsman Ross Taylor Confirms His Retirement from the International Cricket

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New Zealand veteran batter Ross Taylor on Thursday announced that he will step down from International Cricket after finishing the ongoing domestic season. He confirmed that he will play the upcoming 2-Test series against Bangladesh and also will be a part of the ODI squad against Australia and the Netherlands in February and March.  

The second Test against Bangladesh will be his last international Test where he will match Daniel Vettori’s record of 112 Tests for New Zealand. He will not play the Test series against South Africa scheduled in February. 

“It’s been an amazing journey and I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country for as long as I have,” Taylor made a statement on Thursday.

“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.”

Taylor is currently New Zealand’s top scorer in both Test and ODI formats. Debuting in Test in 2007, Taylor has 7,584 runs in 110 Test matches at an average of 44.87 along with 8,581 runs in ODI. He has 19 Test centuries only after captain Kane Williamson. He is also a New Zealand record holder for his 21 ODI centuries.  

Williamson, who has been a long-term batting partner of Taylor, took this chance to praise his achievements. “Ross has been at the core of the side for so long and can be extremely proud of having brought the game in this country to a better place,” Williamson said.

“He’s a world-class player, our best with the bat over such a long period of time and personally it’s been a pleasure to be involved in so many partnerships with him across the formats.

“We’ve shared some pretty cool moments together, most recently the World Test Championship final which was obviously really special.”

The Black Caps coach Gary Stead said, “Ross has always been a hugely respected member of the side and we’re thankful for his contributions to the Black Caps over an incredible career.”

“His skills and temperament as a batsman have been world-class and his ability to perform at such a high level for so long speaks volumes of his longevity and professionalism.”

Notably, Taylor will be playing his last international game at his hometown of Hamilton on April 4 against the Netherlands. 

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