While Ross Taylor may have called time on his playing career on Tuesday, Black Caps coach Gary Stead says the batting great isn't perhaps done with the game for good.
Taylor played his 450th and final game for New Zealand on Tuesday in a 115-run ODI win over the Netherlands, signing off his career with a trademark six in his short but emotional innings.
The team celebrated Taylor's 16-year career in black after the match in Hamilton, sending their stalwart out with a few drinks and some gifts.
"We had a great night for Ross and [departing Black Caps manager] Mike Sandle as well," Stead said Wednesday.
"They're stalwarts of our team that have been there for a long time. It was special.
"We had some internal stuff like some small presentations to the guys but I'm not sure the time that they put in does justice to any gift that you give them.
"I hope they remember it fondly."
During the celebrations, Stead said Taylor was open about his future and whether cricket would still play a part in it.
"We had a bit of a chat last night around coaching and what it might mean and mentoring players in the future," he said.
"I'm sure he will be open at some stage to be able to do that and in fact when he was talking to the guys last night, he mentioned that he's always there to listen and to talk to people.
"That's a mark of the man that he is."
Stead added watching Taylor's final game both as his coach and simply a fan of New Zealand cricket was an emotive experience.
"I've seen it a few times before and went through it myself in my own career so I guess I have an understanding of what it was like," the former Black Caps batsman said.
"But at the end of the night, I'd never seen Ross so content and happy in what he was doing and I think that speaks for the decision he's gotten to and I think that's important that he walks away in a happy place."
Taylor retires as New Zealand's most prolific run-scorer across formats, having scored a combined 18,199 runs across the three formats at an average of 42.72.
Taylor played 112 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 102 T20Is, making him the only international cricketer to make 100 appearances in each of the three formats to date.
SHARE ME