The most experienced Black Cap returns to the side today and he's looking forward to showing what he's still got.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ross Taylor has passed a fitness test and is expected to slot back into the New Zealand team for the third and final ODI against Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve.
The New Zealand bowlers were the difference in the first game and their middle order got them home in the second.
Trent Boult took four wickets as Bangladesh were bowled out for just 131 in the opening game in Dunedin, the tourists improved in Christchurch, but an unbeaten century from captain Tom Latham got the homeside through to their target of 272.
Taylor missed the first two games with a hamstring injury and is likely to replace Will Young at number four today.
It will be his 233rd one day international and he has an average of 48 in the format with 21 centuries.
Taylor says he's looking forward to playing at the Basin Reserve.
"It's one of the first grounds I watched domestic cricket at, it was just a little drive over the hill (from Masterton) for the family to come and watch and you can't beat Wellington on a good day so hopefully it's a good one tomorrow (Friday).
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 37 year old doesn't feel he has anything to prove at this time in his career.
"One day cricket is a format that I feel like I've done well in in the past and been consistent at."
Taylor expects Bangladesh to continue to improve and feels they're in for a close contest today.
"I don't think they were that far away in the last game and if they'd taken a couple of those catches we would have been under pressure, they're always a dangerous side."
"If we'd been playing them in Bangladesh you'd have to be even more wary of them."
Taylor still believes he's good enough to represent New Zealand at this year's T20 World Cup despite being dropped from the T20 squad this summer.
He was left out of the side that played Pakistan and won't play the series against Bangladesh next week.
Taylor has dismissed suggestions he's given up on playing at the T20 World Cup in India in October and November.
"I've still got ambitions for that Twenty20 World Cup, the selectors have wanted to give these guys an opportunity which is fair enough, but where the World Cup is a lot of the guys in the team have never played in the sub-continent and it's definitely different to playing in New Zealand where the balls not turning."
The Basin Reserve doesn't often host ODI's, today's game is just the 31st since 1975.
The last games there were in 2018 and there have been only three in the last 10 years.
Bangladesh has never beaten New Zealand in any format of the game in New Zealand.
