Taylor breaks Sachin's record for longest ODI career

Zimbabwe's experienced batter Brendan Taylor has set a new record for the longest international career in ODI cricket. Taking the field in the first ODI of the series against Australia in Harare on Tuesday, he surpassed Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar. Taylor's ODI career now spans 22 years and 4 months.

Until now, the record was held by Sachin. When he retired from ODI cricket in 2012, his career had spanned 22 years and 3 months. Taylor has now broken that record by a margin of one month to reach a new milestone. However, Sachin still holds the records for the most matches played and the highest runs scored in ODIs.

The former Indian star scored 18,426 runs in 463 ODI matches. He remains at the top of the list of highest run-scorers in ODI history. Taylor, on the other hand, has established himself as one of Zimbabwe's most successful batters. The match against Australia was his 208th ODI.

Since making his international debut in 2004, Taylor has travelled a long road. He also holds the record for the most centuries for Zimbabwe in ODIs, with 11 to his name. Alongside making important contributions with the bat for his team, this right-handed batter has been one of the most recognisable faces of Zimbabwean cricket over a long period.

However, Taylor's career has been full of ups and downs. In 2021, he announced his retirement from international cricket. He was subsequently handed a three-and-a-half-year ban for breaching the ICC's anti-corruption and anti-doping rules. As a result, his return to international cricket became uncertain.

Ultimately, in 2025, Taylor came out of retirement and returned to cricket. Zimbabwe is preparing to co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup with South Africa and Namibia. He decided to return to the national team with that World Cup in mind. And now, by taking the field against Australia, this experienced Zimbabwean cricketer has surpassed Sachin to claim the longest career in ODI history.