Trawling through the archives, retiring Black Caps great Ross Taylor has been a constant on Kiwi cricket fans’ screens across nearly 20 years.
Taylor impressed selectors early on in his career with his play for national junior teams and Central Districts - the only local side he's played for – resulting in his first selection in 2006.
He took time to find his international feet but it was during a six-year period between 2012 and 2018 when he excelled, averaging 54 - and a staggering 64 at home - across all formats.
During that run, Taylor ranked alongside batting masters Michael Clarke, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, as the world's best.
He led the team to a rare Test win in Australia in Hobart at the end of 2011 before scoring 142 in Sri Lanka the following year as one of seven overseas centuries.
Taylor lost the captaincy soon after in a tumultuous period he would later describe as “disgusting” timing.
Sticking to his guns, Taylor bounced back with his greatest knock; 290 against a star-studded Australian attack in Perth in 2015 which is still the highest by an overseas batsman in Australia.
Taylor later called the moment “bitter sweet” when he realised he had beat his mentor Martin Crowe’s record of 188 with the innings.
He would later add to the impressive spell the remarkable fact that he was suffering with eye problems throughout,
Taylor ends up fifth on the all-time Test runs list for a No.4 batsman behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Brian Lara and Jacques Kallis.
Taylor scored 7087 runs at second drop from 174 innings, at an impressive average of 47.24.
The next Kiwi on the list is Crowe, who scored 4841 runs at No.4.
Other names below Taylor include the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Javed Miandad, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Joe Root.
He also finishes his decorated Test career 10th in the all-time catches list, with 163. Only Stephen Fleming (171) has taken more for New Zealand.
Taylor bookended his career with last year's World Test Championship victory, hitting the winning runs alongside longtime batting partner Kane Williamson.

Tuesday afternoon though, it was his bowling that was the final chapter with the 37-year-old great ending his career with his third Test wicket to give the Black Caps an innings and 117-run win against Bangladesh within three days.
A dominating finish for a dominating batsman - Luteru Ross Taylor.





















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