Emotional Ross Taylor remembers his mentor Martin Crowe

Ross Taylor scored a stroke-filled century in New Zealand’s second innings in the second Test match against West Indies which is currently in progress in Hamilton. It was Taylor’s 17th hundred in Test match cricket and with that, he levelled the tally of Martin Crowe and his current skipper Kane Williamson both of whom have 17 hundreds to their names in the longest format of the game.

Levelling Crowe was special for Taylor as the former New Zealand captain was his mentor in the early parts of his career and helped him shape his game to become a successful international cricketer. Ahead of the World Cup final in 2015, Crowe had said that Taylor and Martin Guptill were like his sons and he would struggle to hold back his tears watching them play on such a big occasion.

Two sons

“To see the two sons I never had, Ross Taylor and Marty Guptill, run out in Black, in sync with their close comrades, will be mesmerically satisfying. I will hold back tears all day long,” Crowe was quoted saying on the eve of the biggest match in New Zealand’s cricket history.

The legend, unfortunately, passed away last year after a long battle with cancer and Taylor got quite emotional remembering him today while talking to SKY TV at the end of the third day’s play where the Kiwis completely dominate West Indies.

“He always said when there is a butterfly, that’s (me) and there was a butterfly out there when I was on about 70, so that was pretty good,” Taylor said with a lump in his throat. “I am sure he would be happy with that.” the 33-year old right hander remarked when reminded that he was now standing neck and neck with his mentor in terms of the no. of test tons,” he added.

Taylor, apart from scoring 17 hundreds in Test cricket, has scored the same no. of hundreds in ODIs as well for New Zealand.

Watch the video here:

Touching interview with one of cricket’s good guys, Ross Taylor, after he reached 17 Test centuries today, the same mark set by his mentor, the late great Martin Crowe. Courtesy of @skysportnz pic.twitter.com/hP98xiG2yI

— Derek Alberts (@derekalberts1) December 11, 2017