Local cricket yesterday began life without one of its most talented players following Tatenda Taibu’s sudden and unexpected retirement from the game on Monday night to bring to an abrupt end a topsy-turvy career spanning more than a decade.
The wicketkeeper/batsman called time on his career for the second time — this time to focus on working for the church.
The move, which divided opinion within the cricket circles, brought back memories of his abrupt retirement in 2005 and subsequent comeback in 2007 after having fallen out with the leadership at Zimbabwe Cricket.
At only 29, many feel Taibu still had a lot to offer to the local game especially in Test cricket where most players looked up to him as one of the veterans in the team.
Given that most international cricketers play competitively until their late 30s or early 40s, injuries aside, Taibu could have gone on to play for the national side for another decade.
Other international cricketers such as Ricky Ponting, Chris Martin, VVS Laxman and Shivnarine Chanderpaul who have more congested schedules are still actively involved in the game at the age of 37 while Sachin Tendulkar is still going strong at 39.
However, the underlining factor is that it is Taibu who has the final say and the least we could do in appreciation of contributions to the national cause is to respect his decision, wish him the best in his future endeavours and celebrate his achievements. Plucked from near obscurity as a schoolboy at Churchill Boys High, Taibu’s ascent to become Zimbabwe’s first black captain and youngest Test captain in history is nothing short of a fairytale.
Stepping into the shoes of one of Zimbabwe’s greatest players Andy Flower, Taibu was a consistent performer scoring 1 546 runs in 28 Tests with 57 catches and five stumpings.
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He made 3 393 runs in ODIs with 114 catches and 33 stumpings. He also finished as Zimbabwe’s fourth highest run-scorer in ODIs and with the second most number of dismissals as a wicketkeeper, behind Andy Flower.
Having made the wicket-keeping position in the Zimbabwe team virtually his own for the past decade, it remains to be seen whether the national side will be able to find a long-term successor.
Taibu made his first-class debut at the age of 16, and his debut for the national team in 2001, at 18. In 2003, he was appointed vice-captain to Heath Streak on the team’s tour of England, and he was appointed national captain in April 2004, making him the youngest Test captain in history.
He took a two-year break for Zimbabwe from 2005 to 2007 when he played a season as the captain of Namibia and another season for the Cape Cobras in South Africa.
He made his return to the Zimbabwean side in a series against India A in July 2007, registering a century. The following month Zimbabwe hosted South Africa for a three-game ODI series and in the final game Taibu scored a career best 107 not out. It was the first ODI century by a Zimbabwean against South Africa.
On February 20, 2008, Taibu’s contract was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders of the Indian Premier League.
During 2010, Taibu’s form continued to soar and he scored 73 against South Africa as Zimbabwe were all out for 268. The South Africans chased down the total comfortably with Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers scoring centuries.
When Zimbabwe returned to Test cricket in 2011, Taibu was selected to play in their one-off Tests against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand despite making critical remarks about the country’s cricket administration. He scored half-centuries in each of the three Tests.
Talk to us on Taibu’s decision at: [email protected]
