Brendan Taylor Returns to Zimbabwe Test Squad After ICC Ban
Brendan Taylor, one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic cricketers, has made his long-awaited return to international cricket after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The 39-year-old has been included in Zimbabwe’s squad for the second and final Test against New Zealand.
His comeback marks a significant chapter not only in his personal redemption but also in Zimbabwe’s struggling Test cricket journey.
Taylor was suspended in January 2022 after admitting to accepting money from Indian businessmen back in 2019 in connection with match-fixing. He received $15,000 but insisted he never actually followed through with any match manipulation.
“I may have accepted the money, but I never fixed any matches,” Taylor had stated during the investigation.
His suspension also came with a doping violation after testing positive for Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, shortly after the same incident.
The ban ended earlier this year, and Taylor has now rejoined a Zimbabwe side that’s desperate for revival in the longest format. The team has lost seven out of eight Tests this year and suffered a crushing nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the series opener.
The match, held at the same venue as the first Test, saw Taylor slot back into the playing XI, replacing opener Ben Curran. The only other change came in the pace department, with Trevor Gwandu coming in for Newman Nyamhuri.
Despite ongoing batting woes, Zimbabwe opted to back most of their existing lineup.
This Test series marks a tough period for the visitors as well. New Zealand came into the second Test without several key players, including Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, and Glenn Phillips.
The injury list only grew after Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke were ruled out following knocks in the first Test. To compound things further, all-rounder Michael Bracewell departed to play in The Hundred in England.
That forced the Kiwis to turn to their bench. Three uncapped quicks, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, and Zakary Foulkes, were handed Test debuts. They joined Matt Henry, fresh from his standout nine-wicket performance in the first match, to form a fresh pace quartet.
All eyes, however, remain on Brendan Taylor. His return isn’t just about numbers or team balance. It’s symbolic, a blend of redemption, second chances, and the hope of rekindling Zimbabwe’s fading spark in red-ball cricket.
Whether he can deliver on the pitch remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: his story continues, and the cricketing world is watching.
