New Zealand’s Ross Taylor‘s 16 -year international cricket career came to an end on Monday which was his 450th and final match, playing against Netherlands at Seddon Park in an ODI game where he was dismissed for 14.
When he came in to bat at number four, Taylor received a guard of honour from the visiting Netherlands team. Before the match, the 38-year-old was in tears with his children on one side and teammates on the other, as both teams lined up for their respective national anthems.
The spectators at Seddon Park also rose up to applaud the 38-yr-old batsman as he came into bat for the final time. New Zealand beat Netherlands by 115 runs in the third one-day international to sweep the series.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar led reactions on social media to pay tribute to the New Zealand batter. He tweeted “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”, he further added.
Taylor retired from Test cricket in January after a win against Bangladesh in Christchurch. The batter has been a crucial cog in the New Zealand batting order since making his debut in 2006.
During his career, he has also broken many records and registered many milestones, including a record 7,683 Test runs. He has also scored the most runs for his country in ODI cricket.
Taylor played his first one-day international for New Zealand in 2006 and his first Test the following year. He went on to play 112 Tests, scoring 7,683 runs, including 19 centuries, and 236 one-day internationals in which he made 8,593 runs.
Taylor has long been a fan favourite for his steadiness, reliability and his ready smile.
