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The legendary Ross Taylor of New Zealand received a standing ovation as he departed from his farewell international game. His final innings came off in the third ODI between the hosts and the Netherlands at Seddon Park in Hamilton on 4th April 2022.
The 38-year-old batsman scored 14 runs in this match coming to bat just before the start of the 40th over. As he walked to the pitch, the television cameras briskly captured the emotional moments as the Dutch players gave him a ‘Guard of Honour’.
With regard to international cricket, Ross Taylor’s records have to be one of the underappreciated ones in this decade. The Kiwi player averages 48 runs in Tests and 45 runs in ODIs, registering a total of almost 6000 runs.
From the 2011–12 season onwards, Ross Taylor’s match performances became excellent consistency across all formats, especially in Test matches. Since then, he has played a crucial role for the Black Caps, usually serving as the team's go-to player at times of facing formidable opponents. Taylor's performance in 2016 appeared to take a minor setback. But after receiving an eye surgery, he was set yet again for a strong comeback.
Coincidentally, Taylor hadn't exactly found the same success when playing for New Zealand in the shortest format. However, he was a pretty clinical batter in T20 leagues across the world.
After the 2016 T20 World Cup, it seemed as if he could be out of the picture for T20Is. But in the home series against Pakistan in January 2018, he made a comeback quite fortunately as the team required a substitute. This time Ross Taylor did an excellent job.
When both New Zealand and the Netherlands arrived for the national anthem, it marked Ross Taylor's 450th and last international game. As New Zealand's national song began to play, the celebrated athlete was caught struggling while trying to contain his emotions.
Of particular note, MacKenzie, Jonty, and Adelaide, Taylor's three children, joined him in the playing of the national anthem. Before the start of the match, Taylor gave them a warm embrace.
After this, when Taylor entered the field to bat in the 39th over following Martin Guptill's century, the Netherlands players provided him with a Guard of Honour. Additionally, the Seddon Park audience was up and cheering for their senior cricketing star.
Before this match, Ross Taylor’s video viralled on Twitter where he could be seen entering the pitch and being welcomed with open arms by the Bangladesh cricket team. These scenes were from the cricketer’s last ever Test match where he received a standing ovation from the Hagley Oval crowd. In addition, Ross’s family members applauded him as he could be seen shaking hands with the opposing players in the incidental footage.
After making his domestic debut in the 2002 - 2003 season, Ross Taylor gradually established himself as a dependable batter for New Zealand across all formats. Despite carrying an unconventional approach, his fast wrist work and iron will allowed him to adapt to any scenario.
Recently, this star cricketer culminated his international career after playing against the Netherlands at home. This was the 450th game that he played in his 16-year-long international career.
FAQs
Who’s Ross Taylor’s wife?
Ross Taylor is married to Victoria Jayne Brown, an ex-New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team player. She currently stays in Hamilton, New Zealand.
What happened to Ross Taylor’s IPL career?
Ross Taylor played IPL from 2008 for Royal Challengers Bangalore in back-to-back three seasons. After that, in 2011 he represented Rajasthan Royals and later on, he was picked in the auction by Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors India for the next two seasons.
How long was Ross Taylor captain?
He captained the national team for two years before entering into a controversial argument with the then-New Zealand team coach Mike Hesson.
