If all goes as planned, the 39-year-old will be available for the first Test starting July 30.
Zimbabwe have announced a 16-player Test squad to face New Zealand next month.
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Brendan Taylor is not officially part of the squad yet, but according to ESPNCricinfo he is expected to be added once his ban ends on July 25. If all goes as planned, the 39-year-old will be available for the first Test starting July 30.
Taylor last played a Test match in July 2021 against Bangladesh. In his career so far, he has played 34 Tests, scoring 2320 runs at an average of 36.25, including 6 centuries and 12 fifties.
In 2022, Taylor was banned for three and a half years by the ICC for breaking its anti-corruption rules. He admitted that he accepted a $15,000 “deposit” from an Indian businessman in October 2019 as part of a plan for spot-fixing.
Taylor had travelled to India to discuss a possible new T20 league in Zimbabwe. He was told he would be paid $15,000 for the meeting, and promised another $20,000 if he completed the spot-fixing job later.
Taylor later said he was blackmailed and forced into taking the money but never went through with the fixing.
Along with four breaches of the anti-corruption code, Taylor also broke the ICC’s anti-doping rules. He tested positive for benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, during a test.
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Ben Curran is back in Zimbabwe’s Test squad after recovering from a broken hand he got during a warm up match against South Africa in Arundel. Zimbabwe will play a two match Test series against New Zealand next month, and Curran has been named in the 16 player squad.
There are four changes from the team that lost to South Africa. Sikandar Raza returns after missing that series because he was playing in the MLC. Roy Kaia and Tanunurwa Makoni are also back in the team. However, opening batters Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Prince Masvaure, middle order batter Wessly Madhevere, and fast bowler Kundai Matigimu have been left out.
Blessing Muzarabani will lead the pace attack. Richard Ngarava is not in the squad. He had injured his back during the Test against England but recently returned in the T20 tri series against South Africa and New Zealand.
Brian Bennett, who was concussed in the first Test against South Africa and later returned for the T20 matches, is also included. Dion Myers, who replaced him earlier, has been left out.
This will be the first time Zimbabwe play a Test series against New Zealand since 2016.
Craig Ervine (Captain), Brian Bennett, Tanaka Chivanga, Ben Curran, Trevor Gwandu, Roy Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Clive Madande, Vincent Masekesa, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams.
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