Top 10 New Zealand cricketers of all time

#8. Ross Taylor

Ross Taylor is the 3rd highest run-scorer for New Zealand in Tests and ODIs

In a career which has lasted 11 years and counting, Ross Taylor has established himself as one of New Zealand’s greatest players ever, and one of the finest batsmen in the world at present. Ever since his debut in 2006, Taylor has become one of New Zealand’s talismanic figures in the team.

One of the neatest hitters of the ball ever, Taylor is an extremely versatile batsman who can smash the big shots but at the same time, also takes calculated risk which helps him play long innings. Taylor is New Zealand’s 3rd highest run-getter in both Tests and ODIs with 6030 Test runs at an average of 47.10 and 6144 ODI runs at 43.57.

Taylor has the second most number of centuries for New Zealand in Tests with 16 to his name. His mammoth 290 against Australia last year is his highest score in the format. Taylor has scored the most number of centuries by a New Zealand batsman in ODIs- 17, which is also the 16th highest overall.

The former Kiwi skipper has also played 73 T20Is, scoring 1256 runs with 5 fifties to his name. He is also a pretty good fielder with 123 Test catches, 115 ODI catches, and 42 T20I catches, tying him with AB de Villiers for the most number of catches taken by a fielder in T20Is.

Provided Taylor can manage to play for another 2-3 years, we might see him top the batting charts for New Zealand in both Tests and ODIs for some time.

#7. Kane Williamson

The current Kiwi skipper is one of the best cricketers in the world right now

One of the best batsmen today, Kane Williamson has done more than enough so far to justify himself as one of New Zealand’s finest cricketers of all-time. Two years after leading New Zealand to the semi-finals of the 2008 U-19 World Cup in Malaysia, Kane Williamson was called up to the senior team and scored 0 in his first two ODIs against Sri Lanka and India.

However, he redeemed himself by scoring a century in his fourth ODI innings against Bangladesh thus becoming the youngest centurion from New Zealand. He then cemented his place in the national team after scoring 131 on his Test debut against India.

In the years that followed, Williamson established himself as one of the leading batsmen of the sport and New Zealand’s talisman.

Currently the skipper of New Zealand, Williamson has 5116 Test runs (6th highest for New Zealand) at an average of 51.16 with 25 half-centuries and 17 centuries (joint highest for New Zealand) with 242 against Sri Lanka at Wellington being his highest Test score. In ODIs, Williamson has 4605 runs 9th highest for New Zealand) at an average of 46.98 with 31 fifties and 9 hundreds.

In T20Is, Williamson has 1125 runs to his name (4th highest for New Zealand) at an average of 36.29 with 7 fifties.

Williamson has occasionally proven himself as a pretty handy part-time bowler on many occasions with 29 Test wickets and 33 ODI wickets. With a good 8-10 years still left, if Williamson continues his present form and maintains his fitness, then he can easily be New Zealand’s all-time highest run scorer across all formats.