A significant and exciting piece of news emerges for Zimbabwe Cricket: former captain Brendan Taylor is all set to return to international cricket after nearly three and a half years.
Sports News: Former Zimbabwe cricket team captain and experienced batsman Brendan Taylor is once again ready to make a comeback to international cricket. The 39-year-old Taylor had been serving a three-and-a-half-year ban due to violations of the ICC's anti-corruption rules. Now that his ban period has ended, he is expected to feature in the second match of the ongoing two-Test home series against New Zealand, which will begin on August 7 in Bulawayo.
First Return to the International Arena After the Ban
Brendan Taylor was found guilty by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in January 2022 of violating four major rules under the anti-corruption code. He was accused of failing to report being approached for spot-fixing in a timely manner. This case came to light in 2019 when Taylor was allegedly contacted by a fixing syndicate in India.
Although Taylor rejected the offer, he did not report this information to the ICC in a timely manner, which is a serious violation under the anti-corruption code. As a result, the ICC banned him for three and a half years, a period that ended on July 25, 2025.
Taylor Continued Training, Now Straight into the Playing XI
After being banned, Taylor immediately announced his retirement from cricket and did not participate in any domestic or foreign leagues. Despite this, he continued his fitness regime and training. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Taylor said: "I never thought that my return would be straight into the playing XI, but I am grateful for it. I am ready to go out on the field and give my best performance for my team."
Taylor's Career Record Has Been Remarkable
Brendan Taylor is considered one of the best batsmen in Zimbabwe cricket. Regarding his career so far:
- In 68 innings of 34 Test matches, he has scored 2320 runs at an average of 36.25, including 6 centuries and 12 half-centuries.
- In 205 ODI matches, he has scored 6684 runs, including 11 centuries and 39 half-centuries.
- In 45 T20 Internationals, he has scored 934 runs, including 6 half-centuries.
Taylor's aggressive batting style, stability in the middle order, and ability to rescue the team in times of crisis have made him an important part of Zimbabwe cricket for years. In 2015, he also briefly participated in English county cricket but soon returned to the national team.
