HARARE, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe veteran Brendan Taylor surpassed Indian great Sachin Tendulkar to become the longest-serving player in men’s ODI history after taking the field against Australia in the first match of the three-game series at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Taylor’s ODI career now spans 22 years and four months, moving him ahead of Tendulkar, whose career lasted 22 years and three months before he retired from the format in 2012.
Brendan Taylor has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar for the longest career in men’s ODIs 👏 pic.twitter.com/70TRX7jjz4
— The Commentator (@commentator28) September 15, 2026
Tendulkar, however, continues to hold the records for the most ODI runs, with 18,426, and the most appearances, having played 463 matches.
The 40-year-old Taylor made his ODI debut in 2004 and has become one of Zimbabwe’s leading batters. Before Tuesday’s match, he had scored a national-record 11 ODI centuries in 207 appearances.
Brendan Taylor has broken Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record for the longest career in Men’s ODIs, now at 22 years and 148 days.
22y 148d – Brendan Taylor
22y 91d – Sachin Tendulkar
21y 184d – Sanath Jayasuriya
20y 272d – Javed Miandad pic.twitter.com/RVtxPOio63— Abdul Rehman Yaseen (@Aryaseen5911) September 15, 2026
Taylor retired from international cricket in 2021 but was handed a three-and-a-half-year ban in 2022 for breaching the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping codes. After completing his suspension, he returned to international cricket in 2025 as Zimbabwe prepared for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which it will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.
Brendan Taylor rolls back the years! 🥶🔥
At 40, the Zimbabwean legend pulled off an incredible catch behind the stumps—setting a new record as the oldest wicketkeeper in international cricket and officially surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s longest ODI career span (22 years and 4… pic.twitter.com/xHxZAjyf5a
— Cricket Gyan (@cricketgyann) September 15, 2026
Longest ODI careers in men’s cricket
- Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe): 22 years, 4 months, 26 days
April 20, 2004 – September 15, 2026 (208 matches) - Sachin Tendulkar (India): 22 years, 3 months, 0 days
December 18, 1989 – March 18, 2012 (463 matches)
- Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 21 years, 6 months, 2 days
December 26, 1989 – June 28, 2011 (445 matches) - Javed Miandad (Pakistan): 20 years, 8 months, 27 days
June 11, 1975 – March 9, 1996 (233 matches) - Chris Gayle (West Indies): 19 years, 11 months, 3 days
September 11, 1999 – August 14, 2019 (301 matches) - Sean Williams (Zimbabwe): 19 years, 9 months, 26 days
February 25, 2005 – December 21, 2024 (162 matches) - Shoaib Malik (Pakistan): 19 years, 8 months, 2 days
October 14, 1999 – June 16, 2019 (287 matches) - Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka): 18 years, 11 months, 17 days
March 31, 1984 – March 18, 2003 (308 matches) - Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh): 18 years, 6 months, 18 days
August 6, 2006 – February 24, 2025 (274 matches) - Jacques Kallis (South Africa): 18 years, 6 months, 3 days
January 9, 1996 – July 12, 2014 (328 matches)
Taylor’s record was achieved by taking the field against Australia on September 15, 2026. The exact span is 22 years, 4 months and 26 days, placing him ahead of Tendulkar’s 22 years and 91 days.
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Meanwhile, Australia won the toss and elected to bat in their first ODI in Zimbabwe in 12 years.
Matt Renshaw’s blistering century and Nathan Ellis’s five-wicket haul helped Australia secure a comfortable 59-run victory over Zimbabwe.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza and Taylor were the only three players from either side who also featured in the previous ODI between the teams in Zimbabwe, which the hosts won in 2014.
