'Distressed' Taylor axed as New Zealand captain

Ousted New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor said Friday he was distressed at being axed in favour of Brendon McCullum and needed a break from the game after a "very challenging" time.

After a week of intense speculation about Taylor's future, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the 28-year-old batsman had been dumped as skipper and would sit out the upcoming tour of South Africa.

"It was felt that the workload for a young captain was a lot," NZC chief executive David White told reporters, adding that Taylor rejected an offer to remain Test captain while handing limited overs duties to McCullum.

Despite presiding over a string of poor results, Taylor remains New Zealand's best batsman, averaging 43.45, and his absence from the Test squad for South Africa further weakens a side missing injured spinner Dan Vettori.

Taylor said coach Mike Hesson told him he was no longer wanted as captain before last month's two-Test series in Sri Lanka, where the Black Caps fought back for a creditable 1-1 draw after losing heavily in the first Test.

"Obviously, the news and the timing was distressing," he said in a statement. "It has been a very challenging and pressured time and I don't believe I can give 100 percent to the game at this time." Taylor, who White said could play in a home series against England in February, did not rule out an international comeback under McCullum.

"I am determined to contribute to the Black Caps team in the future and help whoever is in charge to win," he said.

Opener McCullum, 31, is widely seen as offering more attacking tactical nous than the conservative Taylor.

AFP