Ross Taylor

'What a journey, what a ride!' – Tributes pour in from around the world as Ross Taylor retires

Ross Taylor

In an illustrious international career that spanned over 16 years, Ross Taylor represented New Zealand in 112 Tests, 236 ODIs and 102 T20Is, aggregating 18,199 runs across formats at an average of 42.72.

Even in his last match, Taylor wowed the crowd as he has done so often in the past with a vintage slog over mid-wicket for a six.

Taylor leaves having made a massive mark on world cricket – he is New Zealand's highest run-getter in Tests and ODIs as well as across all formats. Having played 450 matches in total, no Blackcaps player has more international caps.

Perhaps the pinnacle of his career came in 2021 when he hit the winning runs against India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand finally got their hands on ICC silverware, two years after the heartbreak that Taylor and the rest of the team suffered in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final against England.

A bonafide match-winner, Taylor always came in clutch for New Zealand – be it the 47* in the second inning of the WTC21 final or the semi-final of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2019, where he scored a 90-ball 74 to set India a competitive target on a challenging track.

His most memorable ODI innings came on his 27th birthday, where he picked apart the Pakistan bowling in the 2011 World Cup with an unbeaten 131.

As he bid adieu to the cricket in the final ODI against the Netherlands, wishes poured in from all corners of the world, paying tribute to the incredible career of Ross Taylor.

Ross Taylor bid goodbye at the top of his game, retiring as the World No.3 batter in ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings, where he has been ever-present in the top 10 since 2018.

Ross Taylor 03/08/1984