New Zealand's veteran batsman Ross Taylor is on the cusp of making history - of becoming the first cricketer ever to play 100 international matches in each of the three formats - in the first Test against India in Wellington, starting on February 21.
"I think after my first Test series against South Africa, I didn't know if I would play Test cricket again. Probably lucky with the timing of things, Twenty20 cricket came along in 2005 and I made my debut in 2006. So it's probably a timing issue to be able to get there but it's nice hopefully to be the first player to do it and hopefully with time, there's going to be a lot more players around the world."
"It was probably here [change of opinion]. So I played that first series against South Africa. Got dropped for Bangladesh, two Tests at home, and then I played my first Test at home against England and I got a hundred in that first Test. That's probably the first time I think I believed that I could play at this level.
Probably fortunate throughout my whole career -- that was my third Test, to get a hundred. And then in my one-day career, I was able to get a hundred in my third game as well. To get those milestones early on definitely helped to believe that I belong and that I am good enough to play at this level."
"I think I have been happy with what I have achieved to date. Test cricket and cricket in general as a batter, you go through a lot of ups and downs and that's definitely what I have been through, and as a team as well.
But Wellington holds a special place in my heart and I am sure having a lot of family and friends there will be something that I will be proud of and look back on at the end of my career with fond memories," Taylor said.
