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NZ’s Ross Taylor to quit Test cricket after Bangladesh series; ODIs later in summer

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3 years ago

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Ross Taylor, New Zealand’s most successful Test batter, has announced he will retire from the longest format of the game following the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Taylor on Thursday confirmed that the current summer will be his last for the BlackCaps, marking the end of a remarkable 16-year international career.

According to New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Taylor signalled his intentions on the eve of the Test series against Bangladesh, starting in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, confirming the two-match series would be his last in the red-ball cricket, before bowing out in the ODIs against Australia and Netherlands later this summer.

The 37-year-old has been a mainstay in the New Zealand batting since making his debut in 2006, setting a number of records and achievements including becoming the highest run scorer (18,074) for New Zealand in international cricket and appearances (445) charts.

Taylor acknowledged it wasn’t an easy decision to make but felt the time was right.

“It’s been an amazing journey and I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country for as long as I have,” he was quoted as saying by NZC.

“It’s been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way.

“But all good things must come to an end and the timing feels right for me. I want to thank my family, friends and all those who have helped me get to this point.

“There’ll be plenty of time for more thank-yous and reflections later in the season — but for now I want all my energy and focus to be on preparing and performing for the BlackCaps this summer.”

Taylor said he would remain available for Central Districts until the end of the season before making a decision on whether to continue playing domestic cricket.

Taylor has scored the most runs for NZ in Tests (7584) and is one of only four New Zealanders to play 100 Tests — at 110 Tests, he joins Daniel Vettori 112, Stephen Fleming 111 and Brendon McCullum 101 on the list.

Coach Gary Stead told New Zealand Cricket that Taylor would undoubtedly bow out as one of New Zealand’s greats.

“Ross has always been a hugely respected member of the side and we’re thankful for his contributions to the BlackCaps over an incredible career.

“His skills and temperament as a batsman have been world-class and his ability to perform at such a high level for so long speaks volumes of his longevity and professionalism.

“His experience has held the side together on countless occasions and his catching record speaks for itself. There’s no doubt we’re going to miss him when he’s gone.

“Seeing him hit the winning runs in Southampton to help win our first ICC World title is a moment I will never forget and I’m sure it’s the same for many of the fans.

“I know Ross is really focused on performing well in these remaining series and going out on the right note.”

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who is unavailable for the Bangladesh series while he rehabilitates an elbow injury, said Taylor had given his all to the New Zealand team over the years, and wished him well for the upcoming two Tests.

“Ross has been at the core of the side for so long and can be extremely proud of having brought the game in this country to a better place.

“He’s a world class player, our best with the bat over such a long period of time and personally it’s been a pleasure to be involved in so many partnerships with him across the formats.

“We’ve shared some pretty cool moments together — most recently the World Test Championship Final which was obviously really special.

“As a senior player and a leader in the group he’s been a fantastic support person for me, especially out there in the field being able to tap into his experience.

“It’s a really exciting time for Ross when he can reflect on so many amazing moments throughout his career and I know all the guys are also looking forward to sharing the occasions with him as he is such a special player to this team.”

NZC chief executive David White said everyone knew this day would, eventually, arrive — but no-one wanted it to.

“Ross has been such a successful and influential part of the BlackCaps in all three formats that it’s hard to imagine the side without him,” he said.

“He’s been a colossus in the Test team; one of the chief contributors to the success New Zealand has achieved over the past eight or nine years, and one of our few, true batting “greats”.

“And he’s also been a giant of the white ball formats — particularly the 50-over game, in which he’s excelled.” He is the only cricketer in the world to play 100 matches in each of the three formats.

White said Taylor was a leader, a fighter, and a terrific example for all who played alongside and against him. “He’s very much earned the mana and respect he carries today.”

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International

CT 2025: India to take on Pakistan on Feb 23, likely to play in Colombo or Dubai: Sources

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4 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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New Delhi, Dec 19: The much-awaited clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played on February 23 with Colombo and Dubai front-runners to play host for India’s matches in the tournament being played in hybrid format. The development comes after the ICC Board said that “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue.”

“India will take on Pakistan at a neutral venue on February 23, 2025. ICC looking at Colombo and Dubai to host their matches.”

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played in February and March 2025. Meanwhile, ICC said the schedule for the marquee tournament will be confirmed in the coming days.

Pakistan are the defending champions of the tournament, having defeated India by 180 runs in the final at The Oval in 2017. Both teams last played against each other in the T20 World Cup in New York earlier this year which India won by six runs and went on to claim their second silverware in the format.

Due to the strained political relations between the two neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan only play each other in international events including World Cups and Asia Cup. The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13 when the latter toured India for the five-match white-ball series.

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International

It’s OFFICIAL! All India vs Pakistan Matches At ICC Events To Be Played At Neutral Venue Till 2027

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4 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC Board confirmed on Thursday, 19 December. The schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be confirmed soon, with Pakistan aiming to defend the title they won in 2017.

The eight-team event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa, alongside hosts Pakistan.

This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan), set to be played in February and March 2025, as well as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka).

It was also announced that the PCB has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply. Cricket Australia is set to host one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period 2029 to 2031.

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International

‘Our dream is getting fulfilled’: Coach Sumit Bhatia elated to see Kho Kho going global

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7 days ago

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December 16, 2024

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New Delhi, Dec 16: Coach Sumit Bhatia is all pumped up for the first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup scheduled to take place from January 13-19, 2025. Bhatia, who holds a distinct record of being the only head coach to have won the Asian Championship twice, believes that this historical step is an indication of the realisation of the dream to take the sport to the international level and help it gain global recognition.

Having been honoured with the best coach award by the Delhi government, Bhatia has been a part of various Indian teams’ success, including the 2016 and 2023 Asian Kho Kho Championship victories, and has trained players like Nasreen Shaikh and Sarika Sudhakar Kale. Both of them have been Arjuna Awardees.

Nasreen, who is also a part of the World Cup camp, is the only player who has played in two Asian Championships and won the gold. The coach-student duo is now gearing up for the global event.

Sharing how the journey of Kho Kho World Cup’s inception, the coach said, “We organised an international camp here before COVID happened, in 2020. Coaches and players from 16 countries came here and we gave them training. Now they will be coming here for the World Cup but this campaign started in that camp”.

He further said, “Around 30-35 countries were willing to play the tournament but we picked the best 20 teams for both men and women. Some countries have single teams while some have double teams but a total of 24 countries will be participating in the tournament. It was our dream to take Kho Kho to the international level and now we can see that our dream is getting fulfilled.”

He also lauded the launch of the Ultimate Kho Kho League and shared how the franchise-based model has helped the players and coaches gain recognition, while also bringing forward grassroot talent.

“When the Ultimate Kho Kho league started, I also joined Telegu Yodhas as their head coach and we also played the final. Players have gotten exposure through the league and it’s not just financial. Earlier we used to hesitate while admitting being a Kho Kho coach but today our players introduce us as their coach,” said Bhatia.

He added, “The league got so much coverage that wherever we go, the players are approached for autographs. So the platform of the league started a new world for both coaches and players and now not just India but the entire world knows us. Earlier we used to tell people about our game but now they know what is Kho Kho and Ultimate Kho Kho league and are also waiting for the third season.”

Bhatia also discussed the impact of sports science on Kho Kho and lauded the newly introduced technology and said, “We have benefitted a lot from it. Sometimes we don’t understand why a player is not performing well. But with the introduction of sports science, we now know about the details of the problem.

“For example, a player might be facing issues with his left leg while sitting and so, it gives us an opportunity to work on that weakness… Sports science has helped us in identifying the accuracy and weakness of a player. So it’s very beneficial for us.”

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