Brendan Taylor made his long-awaited return to one-day internationals after four years, turning out for Zimbabwe in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Harare on Friday, August 29.
From Ban to Comeback – Brendan Taylor Returns to ODIs After Four Years:
With that appearance, Brendan Taylor climbed into the all-time top three for the longest ODI careers and now holds the record for the longest career among batters who debuted after 2001.
The 39-year-old had been serving a three-and-a-half-year suspension handed down in 2022, after admitting he accepted $15,000 from an Indian businessman back in 2019. With his ban now complete, the former Zimbabwe captain rejoined the national team this month. His comeback against New Zealand earlier in the month saw him score 44 and 7 in Zimbabwe’s innings defeat.
A Career Spanning Over Two Decades
Brendan Taylor’s ODI journey began way back on April 20, 2004, against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo. Fast-forward to today, and his career now spans an incredible 21 years and 132 days. That puts him ahead of teammate Sean Williams (19 years, 300 days) for the longest ODI career among players who made their debuts in the 21st century.
He’s also leapfrogged Pakistan great Javed Miandad (20 years, 272 days) into third place on the all-time list. The only two names above him? Legends Sachin Tendulkar (22 years, 91 days) and Sanath Jayasuriya (21 years, 184 days).
Brendan Taylor has already achieved a similar milestone in Test cricket, where he also owns the record for the longest career among players who debuted after 2000. Since 1989, only Tendulkar has managed to play longer at the highest level, with his iconic 200 Tests across 24 years and a single day.
Players with the Longest ODI Careers
| Player | From | To | Span | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 18 Dec 1989 | 18 Mar 2012 | 22y 91d | 463 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) | 26 Dec 1989 | 28 Jun 2011 | 21y 184d | 445 |
| Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe) | 20 Apr 2004 | 29 Aug 2025* | 21y 132d | 206 |
| Javed Miandad (Pakistan) | 11 Jun 1975 | 9 Mar 1996 | 20y 272d | 233 |
| Chris Gayle (West Indies) | 11 Sep 1999 | 14 Aug 2019 | 19y 337d | 301 |
Zimbabwe’s Batting Backbone
For nearly two decades, Brendan Taylor has been the heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s batting lineup, often carrying the team with match-winning knocks. He remains Zimbabwe’s leading century-maker in ODIs with 11 hundreds to his name.
He’s also closing in on another major record – becoming Zimbabwe’s all-time top run-scorer in ODIs. At the moment, he sits in second place behind Andy Flower, needing just over 100 runs to surpass him.
Read More
Taylor’s standout moment came at the 2015 World Cup, where he piled up 433 runs in just six innings, including two centuries.
So far, he has played 206 ODIs, scoring 6,684 runs at an average of 35.55, with 39 fifties and a top score of 145 not out.
ALSO READ: Auqib Nabi Joins Elite Club With Historic Hat-Trick In Duleep Trophy
