Former New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor, who captained the national side and played some memorable knocks across the globe, has decided to come out of retirement and play T20 matches.
However, he will not represent New Zealand. Instead, he has decided to play for Samoa in a Twenty20 World Cup qualifying tournament in Oman next month.
After playing 112 Tests, 236 one-day internationals, and 102 T20 internationals, the right-hander decided to quit in 2022.
Announcing his decision to return to the international arena for another stint, Taylor wrote on Instagram: “Coming out of retirement.”
“It’s official – I’m proud to announce that I’ll be pulling on the blue and representing Samoa in cricket,” he said.
Taylor said: “This is more than just a return to the game I love — it’s the huge honour to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family.”
Taylor holds a Samoan passport attained due to his mother’s heritage.
The 41-year-old right-hander is now eligible to represent his second international team, having seen out the three-year stand-down period after his last match for New Zealand back in April 2022.
Apart from his international cricket journey, Taylor played in seven IPL and five CPL seasons across the global T20 franchise circuit, making close to 5,000 runs around the world.
In his statement, Taylor said: “I’m excited for the opportunity to give back to the game, join the squad, and share my experience on and off the field.”
Samoa T20 Squad:
Caleb Jasmat, Ross Taylor, Darius Visser, Sean Solia, Daniel Burgess, Douglas Finau, Sam French, Kurtis Hynam-Nyberg, Ben Mailata, Noah Mead, Solomon Nash, Samson Sola, Fereti Sululoto, Saumani Tiai, Ili Tugaga.
