Might have retired had we won the 2019 World Cup, says New Zealand's Ross Taylor

In what turned out to be one of the best One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in the history of the game, England defeated the BlackCaps in the final on boundary count to claim their maiden title.

Nearly two years later, New Zealand are back in England for one more ICC final. The Kane Williamson-led side is set to take on India in the final of the 2019-21 World Test Championship (WTC), starting June 18 in Southampton. If the BlackCaps win, it will be the country's second ICC trophy and the current side's first.

Speaking to ICC ahead of the WTC final, Taylor recollected the heartbreaking final loss to England in July 2019.

"It was disappointing to have lost that match at Lord's a couple of years ago. When you lose and you're at the age that I was, you think that might be the last time I ever get to play a World Cup final, so it's nice for me to be here. If we had won that game, I might have retired after that, so I'm glad that I didn't and that I'm here today.

I just think it's really exciting to be here, the whole New Zealand side are really excited, it's going to be a great occasion, playing against India. We've only been number one for a few weeks, they have been number one for five or six years so they are going to be a really hard opposition to play against, but we're looking forward to that," Taylor told ICC in an interview.

Taylor, who has scored 7,506 runs in 107 Tests at an average of 45.76 for New Zealand, hailed the Indian team, saying it is full of "world-class players".

"You go through the Indian line-up, all world-class players all through and whatever side they do decide to go with, they will leave out some world-class players as well. We know whatever XI we face will be very tough. India has been a world no.1 side and they have kept the bar really high for a long period of time, everyone in the world had to catch up to and I don't see any difference, yes we had a couple of Tests here but playing India in home, away or neutral venue will be a tough opposition," Taylor said during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old went on to say that India have a "balanced side and their depth has been amazing."

"India has been a fantastic side for a long period of time, not only the batters but also the bowlers. They won against Australia during a home summer, it was great to watch. They had a lot of success over here as well. I am sure in their warm-up games and bowling at the nets, they would have enjoyed the swing and bounce that the duke ball has. I am sure their warm-up game would have been a lot like playing a Test match," added Taylor.

While India have no match practice going into the WTC final, New Zealand played a two-match Test series against England recently, in which the BlackCaps won 1-0. Taylor termed it as an "ideal preparation."

It is an ideal preparation having two tests against England in these conditions, we are very lucky to manage to get these two matches and obviously the guys got some match preparation in these conditions, can't think of anything better. Playing England in these conditions was a great Test, we learned a lot but as with everything in cricket, whatever you do first, you gotta do well and the team that puts the best foot forward will go a long away to sitting out in what hopefully is a great series.

The whole New Zealand side is excited and it is going great occasion to be playing against India who has been world no 1 for 5-6 years. They going to be really hard opposition to play against but at the same time we are looking forward to that," Taylor further added in the same press conference.

On being asked if New Zealand will be invited for longer Test series after their feat of reaching the final of the inaugural WTC, Taylor replied,"As players, we love playing Test cricket and we would love to play three-match series but if it was a difference between playing a white ball series and playing just two-test series, we definitely take two-test series, it is better than nothing. It is a moving base world cricket at the moment with COVID and quarantines and bubbles and things like that, so being realistic, with a 3 or 4 match series, I never played one of them.

I can't see it happening in the future but hopefully, we can play more three-match series to test ourselves."