New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee paid a warm and heartfelt tribute to teammate Ross Taylor after 37-year-old batter announced that he was going to retire from international cricket.
Taylor on Thursday announced on Twitter that he would bid adieu to the game at the conclusion of the home summer after playing for 17 years, which means that he has eight more games of cricket left – two Tests against Bangladesh and six ODIs against Australia and the Netherlands. While lauding Taylor for his services to New Zealand, Southee candidly spoke about the veteran batter's importance to the team.
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"Any time a player retires, it's a messy moment especially when someone who has played and been a regular in the squad for such a long period of time. It will take some adjusting to look around and not see Ross as a player or have him in this side. That assurance of having a quality player around, and the runs he's had and the job he's done for this side over a long period of time has been amazing.”
Southee, who has played alongside Taylor for 12 years, elaborated on the batter’s changing room demeanour and how his quiet presence will be missed. Southee even discussed how Taylor informed him of his decision, when the pair met at a training session before Christmas.
"We did a bit of training in Hamilton pre-Christmas. He told me there. Anytime someone says that you're taken back a little bit, but he's obviously made that decision. It's been great to play alongside him for so long and he let me know just before Christmas. Like I said, it's a strange feeling when you see guys come and go. Especially when guys have been around for a long time."
{{/usCountry}}"We did a bit of training in Hamilton pre-Christmas. He told me there. Anytime someone says that you're taken back a little bit, but he's obviously made that decision. It's been great to play alongside him for so long and he let me know just before Christmas. Like I said, it's a strange feeling when you see guys come and go. Especially when guys have been around for a long time."
{{/usCountry}}Taylor will play his 111th and 112th Tests against Bangladesh in the upcoming series from 1 January, 2022. The first match is scheduled to be played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga from 1-5 January. The second and final Test will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on 9 January and conclude on 13 January.