Ross Taylor will turn out for the New Zealand XI against the Netherlands in Napier next week to get some game-time before he bids farewell to international cricket in his final ODI series later this month.

Paul Wiseman will lead the coaching staff and will be supported by Auckland pace bowling coach Azhar Abbas and former New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Ross Taylor Will Play The 2nd One Day Warm-Up Match And Solitary T20I Against the Netherlands

BJ Watling has been working in the ND coaching network for the past couple of seasons and was the head coach for ND A this season. Ross Taylor was ruled out of the Plunket Shield match on Friday for the Central Stags for being a COVID-19 ‘household contact’.

The 38-year-old will turn out against the touring Dutch at McLean Park in the second one-day warm-up match on March 19 as well as the one-off T20 on March 21.

“I’m looking forward to getting down to Napier and playing on one of my favourite grounds in McLean Park,” Taylor said.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some time in the middle after missing the latest round of the Plunket Shield and it will also be useful to have a look at the touring team ahead of the ODI series. I’m looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some new and younger faces who I hope I can help by passing on some knowledge,” he added.

“The Netherlands are an ever-improving side and they’ll be relishing the chance to take on a Test-playing nation,” Taylor said.

“They have a few familiar players from the New Zealand domestic scene who I’m sure will be valuable to them in terms of understanding the conditions We know they’ll play with plenty of pride and expect them to be a good challenge,” he added.

Ross Taylor’s inclusion headlines a strong mix of New Zealand hopefuls and rising stars in the NZ XI squad which will be captained by Michael Bracewell. The two warm-up games against the Netherlands will be played behind closed doors at McLean Park on March 17 and 19, followed by a one-off T20I on March 21. Netherlands will then take on New Zealand in a T20I on March 25, followed by the ODIs on March 29, April 2 and 4.

New Zealand’s 12 Regular Players Will Be Unavailable Against Netherlands For Playing IPL 2022

Michael Bracewell, Dane Cleaver and Ben Sears are very much contenders for the white-ball squads to face the Netherlands later this month, in light of the unavailability of 12 regulars, including skipper Kane Williamson, who will leave for the IPL in the coming weeks.

Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Jimmy Neesham, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee will play IPL 2022.

The rest of the NZ XI side is a look into the future with Jesse Tashkoff, Jock McKenzie and Matt Boyle recent graduates of the NZ U19 program.

New Zealand XI squad: Michael Bracewell (c), Matt Bacon, Matt Boyle, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk), James Hartshorn, Mitch Hay, Jayden Lennox, Angus McKenzie, Jock McKenzie, Tim Pringle, Ben Sears, Jesse Tashkoff (game 1), Ross Taylor (games 2 and 3)

In 112 Tests Ross Taylor scored 7683 runs with an average of 44.66 which included 19 hundreds while in 233 ODIs he scored 8581 runs with an average of 48.20. His tally of 21 ODI hundreds is the highest by any Kiwi batter. He also represented New Zealand in 102 T20Is and scored 1909 runs with 7 fifties.