After more than three years, Brendan Taylor returned to the international cricket and on the second test against New Zealand on the day of the second test. Taylor, who played his first international match since he served three and a half years, stood tall in the middle of the collapse and recorded a defiant 44 escape of 107 balls.
The match meant the emotional return of the player who was away from all forms of cricket for drug abuse and did not report a corrupt approach. Taylor, who thought he would completely leave cricket and join teams as a coach, showed that the third highest test run in Zimbabwe’s history still had gravel and technique for playing an international cricket.
Taylor, inserted into the XI playing instead of Ben Curran, came with his side fluctuations soon against a tireless attack on New Zealand. Matt Henry and the debutant Zakary Foulkes shared four goals between them and left Zimbabwe in 67/4. But Taylor, who showed signs of his old self, weighed a storm with four borders and great calm. In the first shifts of the game, 44 escapes from Zimbabwe hit a total of 125.
Taylor’s return comes after a stormy phase of his life. In a recent interview with Espncricinfo, he opened up about his battle with the abuse of addictive substances and the emotional collapse followed by the ICC investigation.
After returning to Zimbabwe Changeroom, after fulfilling a lengthy ban, the emotional Brendan Taylor opens.
He was thinking about his rehabilitation path, thanks to the leadership of the ZC after the second chance and brings the steps that are taking to increase the game.
Now back in white in Queens against new pic.twitter.com/gu9tx3vpkq– cricket Zimbabwe (@zimcricketv) August 7, 2025
“The walls were closing. It was an absolute pressure cooker because I was dealing with ICC and I knew the ban was coming,” Taylor said. “I was completely defeated.”
Former Captain Zimbabwe also spoke about his fight against alcoholism and said:
“I was convinced that if I drank only at the weekend, then I had no problem, but I didn’t know what two beers were. I could hide behind the culture drinking for drinking.”
Taylor admitted that he had used cocaine during his international career breaks and said his life was spiraling in England during his England. He described his addiction as “cunning and misunderstood” and admitted that “he lives two life”.
Now 39, Taylor’s comeback does not necessarily mean a new chapter in its era, but gives it a new beginning where it is in a better mental state. This return symbolizes a personal combat package, from a place where he almost gave up his career. Whether Zimbabwe can newly appeal to the appearance of Zimbabwe. But for the time being, Brendan Taylor tried to stand firmly on the day when the goals were scored around him.
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Published:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
August 7, 2025
