Ross Taylor has to be one of the unsung heroes of this decade in international cricket. The bloke has over 6000 runs in both Tests and ODIs, at an average of 48 and 45 respectively. Impressive numbers, right? Yet when we talk of the finest batsmen in world cricket, seldom would you see Taylor's name coming up in a debate. It's an irony for his persona though, considering the way he stormed into international cricket with a freewheeling style of strokeplay that thrilled the crowd to bits.
Having made his debut on the domestic circuit during the 2002-03 season, he slowly emerged as a reliable batsman for Central Districts across formats. The 2005-06 season is what propelled his career upwards with a national call up coming in early 2006 for home ODIs against Sri Lanka. He made an immediate impression, whacking his maiden century in the series to set the tone for his career. A few more notable contributions came later in the year which ensured that he would soon be given the Test cap. However, it came during a tough tour of South Africa in 2007 and it was baptism by fire for the young Taylor.
