In his autobiography “Ross Taylor : Black and White”, the star batsman of New Zealand cricket team revealed that he got slapped by one of the owners of IPL’s Rajasthan Royals team after he got out for a duck in a match. The incident happened during 2011 and the cricketer, in his book, said that he received the slap for four or five times across the face after getting out for zero runs.

“Rajasthan played Kings 11 in Mohali. The chase was 195 and I was LBW for a duck and we didn’t get close. Afterwards, the team, the support staff and management were in the bar on the top floor of the hotel. Liz Hurley was there with Warnie. One of the Royals owner said to me. “Ross, we didn’t pay you million dollars to get a duck” and slapped me across the face for three of four times” Taylor wrote in his book which was published on stuff. co.nz.

“He was laughing and they weren’t hard slaps but I’m not sure that it was entirely play acting” Taylor said. Under the circumstances, I was not going to make an issue out of it, but I couldn’t imagine in happening in many professional sporting environments”

Ross Taylor spent his first three years with Royal Challengers Bangalore and was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the fourth year of the T 20 league. The team paid USD 1 million to buy him, says the reports which is more than Rs. 8 crores of today’s value. “While it was amazing to go for a million dollars, in the long run I would have been better off if RCB got me for USD 95,00,000. If they had, it would have been my fourth year with them”

“While the IPL is pretty unsentimental, there is loyalty towards long-serving players and I would have probably would have longer IPL career as an one-franchise player. On the other hand, if I had stayed with RCB, I wouldn’t have played with greats such as Virender Sehwag, Shane Warne, Mahela Jayawardane and Yuvraj Singh” wrote the legendary player.

In his entire career, Taylor played 51 IPL matches and scored 958 runs with the trike rate of 125 plus. Having highest score of 81, Taylor represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi daredevils, Pune Warriors India throughout his IPL career.

Here’s how internet reacted to his statement about getting slapped by an owner of RR :

Aston Tuner has 3 ducks in 4 innings for RR. Wonder what must have happened to him😭

— `R (@ryandesa_7) August 13, 2022

Poor Ross taylor, though riyan Parag and unadkat truly deserves this treatment 😂

— Jonathan wick (@Jonatha24467863) August 13, 2022

Ban RR for lifetime. Teams like these r damaging the brand of ipl

— max (@o_sanamm) August 13, 2022

I had to check out 3-4 times if it’s a parody account
This is a really serious allegation and exposes the dark side of IPL , can’t even imagine what Taylor and prolly many others might have gone through.

— Rahul (@Lost_guy01) August 13, 2022

Thats the reason RR changed alot in their management post that seasons. Just look the current management and their excellent job in providing amazing team environment.

— Nikunj Bhagchandani (@Nikunjbhagchand) August 13, 2022