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Succumbing to anxiety, women’s star cricketer, Sarah Taylor, announced her retirement from international cricket. With anxiety affecting her ability to enjoy the game, Taylor announced that this was the right time to hang up her boots.

“In 2006 my dream came true and I beam with pride at what I’ve achieved over the years, alongside the best players and people. It is the right time for me and my health to retire, but I have loved every minute in an England shirt. Thank you to everyone for supporting me,” Taylor tweeted.

She had earlier conveyed in an interview that once she reached the top of the rankings, she felt less motivated to play as she had no goal. Her numbers reveal that despite her early retirement, Taylor remains one of the best ever, if not THE best, women’s keeper batswoman the world has seen.

ODIs

In ODIs, Sarah Taylor racked up 4056 runs at an average of 38.26 with seven hundreds and 20 half-centuries. She represented the country a whopping 126 times and is the ninth highest run-scorer in the format. As designated wicket-keeper, Taylor is the highest run-scorer ever in the women’s game in ODIs.

Keepers with most runs in Women's ODIs (Numbers as keeper alone)

Player

Matches

Runs

HS

Average

100s

50s

SJ Taylor 

118

3813

147

38.51

5

19

T Chetty 

103

2449

95

30.61

0

16

RJ Rolls 

101

2144

114

24.93

2

12

RH Priest 

85

1644

157

28.34

2

9

A Jain 

62

1609

90

29.25

0

11

MR Aguilleira 

103

1562

71

20.55

0

5

AJ Healy 

65

1379

133

30.64

2

8

JM Fields 

60

1004

64*

27.13

0

4

J Smit (ENG-W)

108

1003

91

18.23

0

4

Her keeping was as good, if not better, compared to her batting. Known for her outstanding takes from behind the stumps, Taylor finishes her career with the second most number of dismissals in the format by a keeper.

Most dismissals in Women's ODIs by Keepers

Player

Matches

Dismissals

Caught

Stumped

T Chetty 

103

151

106

45

SJ Taylor 

118

136

85

51

RJ Rolls 

101

133

89

44

J Smit 

108

114

69

45

MR Aguilleira 

103

102

76

26

JC Price 

84

100

70

30

Batool Fatima 

68

97

51

46

She affected 51 stumpings and 85 catches in 118 matches as a designated keeper. The England keeper made 136 dismissals, second only to South Africa’s Trisha Chetty.

T20Is

In T20Is, Taylor is the highest run-scorer among keepers. Although she hasn’t hit a ton, Taylor has 15 half-centuries when playing as keeper in 88 matches. She has 2106 runs in the format as keeper and 2177 overall, making her the seventh highest run-scorer ever in the format.

Keepers with most runs in Women's T20Is

Player

Matches

Runs

HS

Average

100s

50s

SJ Taylor 

88

2106

77

28.45

0

15

AJ Healy 

83

1299

67*

24.05

0

7

T Chetty 

68

1081

55

18.01

0

3

RH Priest 

67

739

60

16.79

0

1

MR Aguilleira 

85

686

39*

14.59

0

0

KJ Martin 

44

659

65

25.34

0

4

MADD Surangika 

45

543

41*

21.72

0

0

SJ Bryce 

20

511

65

39.3

0

2

She has been as exemplary behind the stumps too and has effected the most dismissals by a keeper in the format. In 88 matches, Taylor has made 51 stumpings and taken 23 catches, a total tally of 74 dismissals which is just above that of Australia’s Alyssa Healy.

Most dismissals in Women's T20Is by Keepers

Player

Matches

Dismissals

Caught

Stumped

SJ Taylor 

88

74

23

51

AJ Healy 

83

73

31

42

MR Aguilleira 

85

70

36

34

RH Priest 

67

68

38

30

T Chetty 

68

57

34

23

Batool Fatima 

45

50

11

39

MV Waldron 

62

44

25

19

T Bhatia 

32

42

12

30

A standout cricketer across formats for England, the impromptu retirement is a blow to the team’s future. At 30 years, the keeper batswoman had a lot more to offer to England cricket and cricket in general but like with the other England cricketers affected by mental illness, Taylor’s career remains a tale of what could have been although she ensured she left the game when she was at the peak of her prowess.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / David Maruiz

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