Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

ODI loss to India will help address grey areas; won’t quit in a hurry

-

Sixes Win Margin

(6) (2) (5) (3) (3) (4) (3) (5) (3) Lost R/O 9.29 9.7 9.52 8.9 9.12 get to bat. So it could be 10-12 days off. I like this format and think it will be good — 1992 was like that. England does have a bit of weather, so luck will play a part as well.

You are among the top scorers for New Zealand across formats. Are you satisfied with what you have achieved so far?

The day you are satisfied is the day you need to retire, I think. There are still things I would like to achieve. I joke a little bit that I am old because I am the oldest in this team. But I still feel young and still have a few years to contribute to New Zealand cricket. I love playing for my country and I feel I can get better as a player. The day I don’t feel that, I will have to retire. I want to score a few more runs and wins, and give my best. Series India in New Zealand in 2018-19

Afghanista­n v Ireland in India 2016-17 West Indies in South Africa in 2014-15 England in New Zealand in 2012-13 Australia in South Africa in 2015-16 Abandoned Series/tournament

Asia Cup in UAE West Indies in India West Indies in India West Indies in India India in Australia India in Australia India in Australia India in New Zealand India in New Zealand

You spoke about this being the last World Cup. What else is left?

Type Test T-20I T-20I Test T-20 Result India won India won India won India won India won India won India won India lost Test cricket is still high on my priorities. I would like to play 100 Tests. New Zealand haven’t played a Boxing Day Test in Australia since the 1980s, so there are quite a few things I would like to hang around for. At the same time, you don’t want to do just that and want to be playing an active role in the team. I still have a desire to go on, so no time-frame yet.

You have represente­d quite a few franchises in the IPL. What was your biggest highlight there?

I really loved playing with internatio­nal players and Indian domestic players in the same team.

Learning from them has helped narrow the gap with New Zealand cricket. We were little brothers to teams like India,

South Africa and Australia, but we are a lot closer on the field now in terms of performanc­e. Cricket is India’s religion and to experience that, and for the local fans to embrace me as their own, is something I will never forget. Going out to a packed Chinnaswam­y to chants of ‘Taylor Taylor’… I had family there. They will never forget it and I definitely won’t. I do miss it at times, but playing time in the IPL for me is gone.

ROSS TAYLOR IN ODIS ODI ODI ODI ODI There is a World Cup every four years, so you want to have a big push towards that. I have put emphasis on my game. It will probably be my last World Cup.

Brendon Mccullum retired early to play T20 franchise cricket. Does that tempt you?

In bilateral ODIS, teams can figure you out but in a World Cup like this, you are playing a different team each day, so you can be on top of your game.

I don’t think I will retire earlier from internatio­nal cricket just to go and do the T20 circuit because I love playing for New Zealand. Playing for a different franchise every month is not something that appeals to me as much as playing in front of family and friends here.

Playing for a different franchise every month is not something that appeals to me as much as playing in front of family and friends here in New Zealand.

 ?? GETTY IMAGES ?? Ross Taylor was the third highest run-getter in the ODI series with 177 runs.
GETTY IMAGES Ross Taylor was the third highest run-getter in the ODI series with 177 runs.
 ?? AFP ?? Kuldeep Yadav
AFP Kuldeep Yadav

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India