"Ben Stokes Was Keen On Playing For New Zealand" - Ross Taylor On Meeting The English All-Rounder When He Was 18

New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor revealed that he had asked England’s all-rounder, Ben Stokes, if he wanted to represent New Zealand at the highest level of the game.

The conversation took place when Stokes had made a name for himself during his final teenage years. Taylor contacted the NZC CEO at the time to ask if something could be arranged.

“He was 18 or 19 and very much a Kiwi. Over a Guinness, I asked him if he wanted to come and play in New Zealand. He was keen so I sent a message to New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan saying this guy Stokes was a really good young cricketer and interested in playing for New Zealand.”

“Vaughan replied along the lines that he could start playing domestic cricket and we’d see where it went. I went back saying we’d have to offer him more than that because he wouldn’t be interested if it meant starting on the bottom rung of the ladder. Obviously, it didn’t come to anything,” Taylor wrote in his book, Ross Taylor Black & White.

“Ben was sincere about playing for New Zealand” – Ross Taylor

Taylor said that Stokes was very keen on playing for the Black Caps but Vaughan was unwilling to let Stokes play directly at the top level without climbing up the ladder.

“Ben was sincere about playing for New Zealand, but NZC would’ve had to have acted swiftly and decisively and given him some pretty solid assurances, which Vaughan clearly wasn’t prepared to do,” he also added.

Stokes went on to play for England and he has become a huge figure for The Three Lions. He won the 2019 ODI World Cup with them and has also had plenty of memorable Ashes performances.

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