Star New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor
Star New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor said he is "not sure" if he will have enough in his tank to represent New Zealand in next year's T20 World Cup in India.
The ICC had last week postponed this year's T20 World due to the COVID-19 pandemic and handed Australia the rights to host the 2022 edition. The governing body, however, retained India's right to conduct the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Taylor, who had become the first New Zealand player to play 100 T20Is in February this year during a series against India, will turn 37 when India hosts the 2021 T20 World Cup.
"Oh! Not sure," Taylor, who is currently in Trinidad for the month-long Caribbean Premier League (CPL), was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"As you get older, things slow down a little bit, but your training and experience and your mind become even more important," added the prolific batsman, who has so far scored over 10,000 runs in limited over cricket for New Zealand.
Taylor, who last featured in an ODI against Australia in March before the tour was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said it will be strange for everyone to play after such a long time.
"Yeah, it has been a strange time all around. I haven't gone this long without playing any cricket since I was in high school. So, yeah obviously isolation and all those other things are a little bit strange, but it is what it is," said the senior batsman, who will turn up for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL beginning August 18.
"You know it's going to be strange for everybody at the CPL. Nobody has played international cricket for a while, so everyone is going to be nervous, I'm sure. So, training and early games are very important.
"The atmosphere in Twenty20 cricket is a lot of what you play and we get the best crowds in that format. So, to play in front of nobody but knowing that people at home will be watching and cheering us on, it's going to be a bit strange, but at the same time something that we're going to get used to," he added.
Taylor would have to take more responsbility of the team especially after the withdrawl of veteran Pakistan allrounder Shoaib Malik, who skipped CPL for the upcoming T20I series against England.
"Shoaib Malik has got a fantastic record, especially in T20 cricket and especially for Guyana as well. I think he has got that anchor role and a role that I'll be looking to do as well," Taylor said.
"Every team is stacked with quality spinners and we expect spin to play a big part and probably reverse-swing throughout the whole tournament.
"Traditionally, it does spin a lot here anyway, so the way you play spin is going to be very important. Some of the world's best spinners are here, and it's going to be a good test for us batsmen going forward," he added.
