Published: Mar 13, 2015, 11:46 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 13, 2015, 11:46 AM (IST)
Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman, will possibly play his last international game when his side takes on India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Taylor will head to England to play for Nottinghamshire, with whom he has signed a Kolpak deal. Nishad Pai Vaidya reflects on Taylor’s interaction with the media and the career of the unsung hero of international cricket.
Dav Whatmore, the Zimbabwe coach, said something that caught everyone’s attention on Thursday. “It is true we will be missing Brendan Taylor, who is going to Nottingham, and they are very, very lucky to have him. Despite that, we feel we have got a number of players who make this team really strong in terms of what they offer,” Whatmore said on the sidelines of Zimbabwe’s training session ahead of their game against India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. READ: Sikandar Raza wants to end ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 with good performance against India
“Where is Taylor going?” one person asked the other. Many weren’t aware that Taylor had signed a Kolpak deal with Nottinghamshire for three years, meaning that he would be away from Zimbabwe duty. READ: Dav Whatmore: Zimbabwe need to play more ODIs in order to improve
To say that Taylor has been Zimbabwe’s most illustrious player over the last decade wouldn’t be inaccurate. He has looked a part of international cricket, even when some of his teammates have struggled to make a mark. Having made his debut in 2004, he became Zimbabwe’s symbol of hope in a turbulent time. With the willow in hand, he gave them moments of brilliance. Who can forget the last-ball six against Bangladesh in a One-Day International (ODI) in 2006? Or, the match-winning knock against Australia in the ICC World T20 2007? READ: ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Zimbabwe aim winning farewell to Brendan Taylor
For Taylor though, it has been about the team and he cherished Test victories more than his own moments of personal brilliance. When asked about the best moments of his career, he picked the Test victories without hesitation. “There are some fond memories, but me personally; it would probably be our first Test win against Bangladesh. Being in isolation for five years and coming back and winning our first Test match back, that was an incredible feeling, and then also winning another test against Pakistan. Those are two that stand out for me personally. We all as players value Test cricket, so we all know how hard it is as players to go out there for five days and physically and mentally try and test yourselves against the best sides in the world. Those are two that stand out for me,” he said. READ: Brendan Taylor could play his last match for Zimbabwe against India in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 following Nottinghamshire deal
One could see a bit of emotion in Taylor’s eyes. However, he held himself together through the pre-match press conference and answered each question patiently. “It’s been fairly enjoyable the 11 years that I’ve been extremely grateful for. Every player’s dream is to represent their country, and I’ve been lucky enough to do that. We’ve had our challenges as young players coming into the side. We’ve had some tough losses, but we’ve slowly evolved and managed to sneak a few great ones in for us. It’s been thoroughly enjoyable. But you know, a very proud moment for me. Sad for me that it’ll be ending, but I’m very proud to be a Zimbabwean, I’m very proud to represent my country on a great stage tomorrow to finish up and hopefully end on a high note,” he said, looking ahead to the game against India on Saturday. READ: ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: India take a break as Zimbabwe train at Eden Park
Taylor’s loss is undoubtedly a loss for Zimbabwe cricket. Not only they lose a match-winning batsman, but also a stable wicketkeeper. Not to forget his years of experience and ability to lead the side. Despite that, he maintains that Zimbabwe have the talent to do well in international cricket. “I think there’s enough depth there at the moment. We’ve certainly got some experienced players; we’ve got some young and talented players coming through. I’m not too worried about maybe leaving a hole there, people speculating about with me going. I certainly don’t think that’s the case. I think the players are definitely good enough to fulfil that No. 4 spot in Test cricket and one-dayers, exciting players as in Solomon Mire and Sean Williams in the middle there, there are talks of Graham Cremer making a comeback to Zimbabwe cricket. For me that’s all very encouraging, and I have no doubt on the day that more guys — you’ll start seeing the best from them, and I’m confident that there’s a bright future right around the corner for Zimbabwe cricket,” he said. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE
Taylor called it a very tough decision and mulled over it for a few months in consultation with his family. He got married last year and has a couple of children to look after. The decision has come about as he wants to give his children the best he can. Staying in Zimbabwe may not assure him that, but a good deal in England could be good for his young family. “I think all players tend to try and maximise a little bit, and when you’ve got kids at home, you want to try and make sure they’ve got the best sort of upbringing that you can give them,” he said.ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
He may not be counted amongst the greats in international cricket, but Taylor has the respect of everyone. For 10 years, he served a team that faced tough times and remained a staunch sentinel in the face of adversity. If Zimbabwe have managed to regain some lost ground, Taylor has to be given a lot of credit for his on-field displays. He will quietly walk into sunset, travel to England with his young family. Back in Zimbabwe, the team will miss him, but as he says, there are others to carry them forward. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
