Father time has caught up to Ross Taylor.
It's an unfortunate reality that has struck New Zealand cricket fans following a dismal tour of India for the legendary Black Caps batsman.
Across the two-Test series, Taylor mustered just 20 runs at an average of five, looking completely out of his depth on difficult turning pitches in Kanpur and Mumbai.
He was not the only New Zealand batsman to struggle - the side was bowled out for just 62 in the first innings in Mumbai.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead said on Tuesday it was simply a blip in form and Taylor was not the first batsman to go to India and struggle.
But the problem is, Taylor's woes are not exclusive to India, but have become a worrying trend in the past two years.
It has been 15 Tests since the last of his 19 centuries (105no v England in Hamilton, November 2019) and he has only passed 50 thrice since that ton, averaging a meagre 28 runs with the bat during that period.
Taylor has continued to express his desire to extend his Test career and in any other era of New Zealand cricket he would have earned the right to pull stumps when he felt the time was right.
But there is a feeling that the 110-Test veteran, who turns 38 in March, is beginning to take the spot of players who are simply better than him at this point in time.
Never in New Zealand's cricket history has there been such an abundance of batting depth.
In years gone by, selectors had to search to fill out the Test side with the best of what they could find in domestic cricket, having had only six or seven genuine cricketers of international quality.
Now, one could make a solid case that New Zealand has more batting depth than both Australia and England - a statement that seems implausible to the long-time New Zealand cricketing tragic.
Taylor is a Black Caps legend, and comfortably nestles in alongside Kane Williamson and Martin Crowe as our three greatest ever batsmen.
But he would not be the first great batsman to have been defeated by father time. There are plenty of examples in recent years of players falling away at the end of their careers.
Most recently, South African batsman Hashim Amla - who finished his Test career with over 9000 runs at an average of nearly 47 - decided to call time on his international career following a lean patch where he averaged just 25 in his final 14 Tests.
The same happened to arguably the greatest batsman of the modern era, Sachin Tendulkar. The 'Little Master' retired in 2013 with nearly 16,000 Test runs at an average of 53, but even he suffered a poor two-year run at the end of his career where he averaged just 27 in his final 15 Tests without scoring a hundred.
Following the India series, Stead admitted there were more batting options available to choose from than he's had during his tenure.
The emergence of Devon Conway, Will Young and most recently Daryl Mitchell gives New Zealand unprecedented options with the bat going forward.
However, Stead backed Taylor to find his way back into form.
"Let’s not forget Ross Taylor has an amazing record behind him. He’s been one of New Zealand’s premier batsman for a long, long period of time. You don’t lose that class over just one tour."
Despite the praise, Stead remained coy on whether Taylor was nailed on as New Zealand's number four going forward in Test cricket.
"There’s still time for that to be played out. I’ve got to get home and speak to the selectors and have a conversation with Ross as well around where he sees his game going forward."
Unfortunately for Taylor, New Zealand's best Test XI in 2022 doesn't include his name.
Young's success opening the batting in India and at first-class level should see him secure his spot at the top of the order alongside Tom Latham.
Conway - who missed the India series due to a broken hand suffered in the preceding T20 World Cup - will be back fit for the Black Caps' home summer that begins against Bangladesh on January 1.
Those who back Taylor will make the case that the likes of Mitchell and Young simply need to wait their turn for when Taylor decides to hang up his boots.
While that could be true for the likes of Rachin Ravindra - the talented 22-year-old who showed promise in his debut series in India - there is no time to waste for Young and Mitchell.
Mitchell is 30, Young, 29, both in their primes and ready to compete at the highest level. Delaying the inevitable with Taylor simply wipes away some of the best of Mitchell or Young's career.
Taylor's place in the side is unlikely to be under threat for the Bangladesh series, with Williamson ruled out for two months with an ongoing elbow injury.
But upon the Black Caps skipper's return, Taylor could see himself left on the outer.
New Zealand's second and final Test series of the summer is at home to South Africa in February, a side Taylor has historically under-performed against.
In eight Tests, Taylor has never crossed 50 against the South Africans, who are renowned for their rapid pace attack.
Given his recent form, it's unlikely that will change. A 37-year-old taking on Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Duanne Olivier - who can all bowl north of 150km/h - does not bode well.
A three-Test series in England then waits on the horizon in June, a hugely important series in New Zealand’s defence of the the World Test Championship.
A well-balanced, in-form squad will be required to compete, never mind win in England, who are far better on their home turf than what they have demonstrated so far in the Ashes.
Taylor is simply too much at risk of being a liability to be included on this tour. At 37, the conclusion of the second World Test Championship in mid-2023 seems a mile away.
Ultimately, this upcoming Bangladesh series should be his last in Test cricket.
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