Wellington [New Zealand], March 6 (ANI): Former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor has said that the retirement of pacer Neil Wagner was a “forced” one.
Ahead of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand, Kiwi fast bowler Wagner had announced his retirement from international cricket. The 37-year-old pacer took the emotional choice after a difficult chat with coach Gary Stead during which it was made clear that he was not in New Zealand’s top XI for the forthcoming series against Australia.
The left-armer finished his Test career fifth overall on the list of New Zealand Test wicket-takers, with 260 scalps in 64 Tests.
“I think it all makes sense a little bit now. There is no sugarcoating it: I think it is a forced retirement. If you listen to Wagner’s press conference, he was retiring, but it was after this last Test match [against Australia]. So he did make himself available,” Taylor said on Tuesday as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
He was responding to a question on ESPN’s ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast about Wagner’s finger-on-the-mouth celebration during the second Test against South Africa held earlier in February, which was his last Test appearance and a visual of him making explicit gestures as the team got into a huddle to celebrate a dismissal.
During the first Test, Wagner did make an appearance as a substitute fielder and carried drinks for his teammates. Wagner was set to be released from the team after the first Test, but William O’Rourke’s injury presented an opportunity of a potential recall during the second Test at Christchurch. Kiwis chose to go with uncapped pacer Ben Sears over Wagner.