Cricket: No Ross Taylor test retirement U-turn despite Australian ODI series postponement

Blackcaps batter Ross Taylor won't reverse his retirement from test cricket, despite the postponement of New Zealand's white ball tour of Australia.

Taylor called time on his test career last week, finishing as a red-ball cricketer after the two-test series against Bangladesh.

As New Zealand's leading test runscorer, Taylor's final act in whites saw him seal the Blackcaps win as a bowler, taking the final wicket to level the two-test series with victory by an innings and 117 runs in Christchurch.

After planning to end his career with white ball series against Australia and the Netherlands, the postponement of the Aussie series freed up Taylor's schedule for another potential test tilt against the Proteas.

The scheduling of the Australian tour initially meant Blackcaps test players would not be involved, with not enough time for players to quarantine before the two-test series against South Africa next month.

But despite the postponement now freeing up New Zealand's white-ball specialists, Taylor won't be available for the test side to face the Proteas.

"No, he's not, he's played his last test," , NZ Cricket chief executive David White tells Newshub. "His last act was getting that test wicket.

"I know he's really looking forward to playing against the Netherlands.

Ross Taylor with his children after his final test match.
Ross Taylor with his children after his final test match. Photo credit: Image - Photosport

"We'll farewell him in an appropriate way in Hamilton against the Netherlands."

The South Africa series could have provided the perfect end to Taylor's test career. Since making his test debut against the Proteas in 2007, Taylor has never reached triple figures in eight outings against them, with at best score of 48 not out.

Taylor has scored just 233 runs at an average of 25.88 against South Africa, considerably below his career average of 44.66.

A century against South Africa would have made Taylor become only the second New Zealander - after Kane Williamson - to score hundreds against every other test-playing nation - barring Ireland and Afghanistan, whom the Blackcaps have never faced.

South Africa are the only side New Zealand's men have never beaten in a test series, with this summer representing arguably their best chance, as world test champions.

Instead, Taylor will end his career with a three-match one-day series against associate nation the Netherlands.

The Blackcaps will meet the Dutch at Dunedin on March 29, and Hamilton on April 2 and 4.