Taylor breaks Tendulkar’s ODI record

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Zimbabwean cricketer Brendan Taylor became the longest-serving player in men’s ODI history, extending his career to over 22 years during Zimbabwe’s match against Australia. His return to international cricket after a suspension highlights his dedication as Zimbabwe prepares to co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Zimbabwean cricketer Brendan Taylor has set a new record as the longest-serving player in men’s One-Day International (ODI) cricket history. Taylor reached the milestone during the first ODI against Australia at Harare Sports Club, extending his career to 22 years and 146 days since his debut in 2004. This surpasses the previous record held by Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, whose ODI career spanned 22 years and 91 days from 1989 to 2012.

Taylor, 40, has been a key figure in Zimbabwean cricket for nearly two and a half decades. Entering the series against Australia, he had amassed 6,704 ODI runs in 205 innings, coming close to Andy Flower’s national record of 6,786 runs in 208 innings. With 11 ODI centuries, Taylor holds the record for the most centuries scored by a Zimbabwean in this format.

Throughout his career, Taylor has served as both player and captain across all three formats of the game. He gained international prominence during the 2015 ODI World Cup, where he scored two centuries, including a notable innings against India, the eventual tournament winners. Despite his sustained contributions, Taylor's career has seen several significant developments in recent years.

After the 2015 World Cup, Taylor temporarily stepped away from international cricket to sign a three-year Kolpak contract with Nottinghamshire, an English county cricket club. He returned to international duty with Zimbabwe before announcing his retirement from international cricket in 2021. However, this was not the end of his time in the national team.

Taylor revealed that in 2019 he was approached by individuals attempting to corrupt him, including being offered cocaine and later subjected to blackmail when he delayed reporting the incident to the International Cricket Council (ICC). Following an ICC investigation, Taylor was banned for three and a half years in 2022 due to breaches of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping codes.

After serving this suspension, Taylor made an unexpected return to international cricket in 2025, as Zimbabwe prepared for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. His return underscores his ongoing commitment to Zimbabwean cricket despite the challenges and controversies that have marked his career.

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