Brendan Taylor eyes international comeback after sanction ends

Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Brendan Taylor, currently serving a three-and-a-half-year ban for breaching the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption code, has set his sights on a return to international cricket when his suspension ends in July. At 39, Taylor believes he has more to offer and is now aiming for a spot in Zimbabwe's squad for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, which the country will co-host.

Initially contemplating a shift into coaching, Taylor has been persuaded by Zimbabwe Cricket's Managing Director, Givemore Makoni, to pursue a playing career instead. Taylor, who will be eligible to return to competitive cricket on July 25, is excited about the prospect of representing his country once more.

"I still want to play, and I believe I could make an impact as a player," Taylor told ESPNcricinfo. "I look at where I'm at physically and mentally and if I didn't feel I could do it, I wouldn't bother. Givemore has really supported me on this. He sort of shut down the coaching role for now and said, ‘Can you play and try to push yourself up until the 2027 World Cup?'"

Taylor's return to the sport follows a challenging period in his life. He admitted to struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and revealed a harrowing experience in 2021 when he was approached by match-fixers who filmed him using cocaine. Fearing the video would be made public, Taylor retired abruptly from international cricket in September 2021. He later reported the incident to the ICC in January 2022 and sought rehabilitation at a centre in Nyanga, Zimbabwe, where he spent 90 days addressing his addiction issues.

Since then, Taylor has been sober and gradually getting back into cricket. He has opened a private coaching facility at his home and has been training at the high-performance centre at St John's College in Harare. Although restricted by the terms of his ban, Taylor has been able to practice extensively, focusing on batting, fielding, and wicketkeeping.

"There's lots of work to do, but I feel like I'm there. I'm not far off," he said. "I get in there nice and early, and I come back in the afternoon and do it all again and push myself."

Though Taylor won't be eligible for Zimbabwe's historic Test series against England in May, their first in more than two decades, he is hopeful of making the squad for their home series against New Zealand in August. Following that, Zimbabwe will host the Africa Regional Qualifiers for the 2024 T20 World Cup, though Taylor acknowledges the need to refine his T20 skills further.

"I see myself definitely playing Tests and ODIs. With T20s, that's probably something I would have to really try and sharpen myself up at. But I look forward to that," he explained. "Having a home World Cup is quite special, and we've had some heartache over these last few World Cups, so hopefully, we can turn that around."

Taylor is not the only experienced player in the Zimbabwe squad, with Craig Ervine (39), Sikandar Raza (38), and Sean Williams (38) also in their late 30s and still key contributors. Their performances have inspired Taylor and given him confidence that he too can continue at the highest level.

"If you look statistically, they're at the top of the game. They're still some of the biggest contributors in the national side, and that's really given me that hope and belief that I can do this," he said.

For Taylor, his comeback is not about seeking individual accolades but contributing to the team in a meaningful way. "I've been humbled properly. I look forward to really just adding value, which I probably didn't do to the best of my ability when I was there before," he said.

Ultimately, it's the feeling of unfinished business that is driving Taylor's return. Reflecting on his past, he wishes he could have offered more to Zimbabwe cricket, but he has since made amends and is eager to make a positive impact going forward.

"Having a home World Cup is quite special and we've had some heartache over these last few World Cups, so hopefully, we can turn that around," he concluded. "For Givemore, this World Cup means the whole world to him. He just wants to get this right and put on a good show, and I want to be reciprocal in that."

If Taylor's comeback is successful, he will be part of a seasoned Zimbabwe squad eager to turn a new page and aim for success in their own backyard in 2027.