Former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor has come out of retirement to play for Samoa, his mother’s home country. This makes him the latest in a long line of cricketers who have played for more than one country. This trend goes all the way back to the 19th century.
A Look at History-
The first “dual international” was Billy Midwinter in 1881-82. He played for Australia before switching to England. Early cricketers like Billy Murdoch and Frank Hearne also played Test cricket for both Australia and England.
Another famous player, the Nawab of Pataudi, played for both England and India. After India was divided in 1947, several players went on to represent both India and Pakistan.
This trend has become more common in the new millennium, especially with the growth of T20I cricket. Tim David, a T20I star, played for Singapore before making his debut for Australia in 2022. Similarly, David Wiese had a good career with South Africa before he became a key player for Namibia in 2021. Hayden Walsh played for the USA before he became a top spinner for the West Indies.
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Many African cricketers have also made the switch. Daniel Jakiel moved from Zimbabwe to Malawi, while Gregory Strydom went from Zimbabwe to the Cayman Islands.
Well-known names like Gary Ballance (England to Zimbabwe) and Kepler Wessels (Australia to South Africa) also played Test cricket for two countries. The experienced all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe is still playing strong for the Netherlands after moving from South Africa in 2015.
Sometimes, players switch to honor their heritage. Former Australian Test opener Joe Burns chose to play for Italy because of his mother’s background. He followed Jade Dernbach, a former England fast bowler, who also made the switch in 2019.
The move between England and Ireland is also common. Eoin Morgan and Boyd Rankin famously went from Ireland to England, and Morgan went on to lead England to a World Cup victory.
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The trend continues with New Zealand players. Corey Anderson, who had a big career in New Zealand, now plays for the USA. Mark Chapman was born in Hong Kong and played for them before becoming a regular for New Zealand.
Luke Ronchi is another example, as he played for Australia before making a successful move to New Zealand. The decision to play for more than one country is now a common part of cricket’s changing world.