Former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor played his final international game for the Blackcaps against the Netherlands at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday (April 4).
Taylor, who made his ODI debut for New Zealand on March 1, 2006, against the West Indies, has played 236 matches and finished his career as the highest run-getter for his nation, with 8607 runs to his credit.
Taylor got emotional during the national anthem ceremony prior to the start of New Zealand’s innings and then was greeted with a guard of honour by the Dutch players after he came down to bat for the final time in a Black Caps jersey. But, the 38-year-old could not do much in his final outing and was dismissed for a mere 14 off 16 balls.
In his final international game, Taylor took the winning catch as New Zealand defeated the Netherlands by 115 runs to complete a 3-0 whitewash. Meanwhile, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar took to Twitter and wrote a heartwarming note for Taylor, hailing the New Zealander as a ‘great ambassador of the game.’
“You’ve been a great ambassador of the game, Ross! It was wonderful playing against you. The way you reinvented yourself over the years to adapt is an inspiration for all the young kids aspiring to be cricketers. Heartiest congratulations on a fabulous career,” Tendulkar wrote on Twitter.
You’ve been a great ambassador of the game Ross! It was wonderful playing against you. The way you reinvented yourself over the years to adapt is an inspiration for all the young kids aspiring to be cricketers.
Heartiest congratulations on a fabulous career. pic.twitter.com/RpB62iuuD0
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 4, 2022
Notably, Taylor had earlier announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier year and played his final game against Bangladesh. Interestingly, just like the ODIs, Taylor is also the all-time leading run-scorer in the longest format for New Zealand, scoring 7683 runs in 112 matches.
