The New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor has effectively been sacked from the role and Brendan McCullum appointed in his place for all three forms of the game.
The chief executive of New Zealand Cricket David White says coach Mike Hesson wanted a split captaincy role and Taylor was offered the test captaincy and McCullum the one day and Twenty20 sides, but Taylor turned down that plan.
Taylor has instead decided to take a break from the team, but White say's he will return for the home series against England in February.
McCullum will now lead the side on the entire tour of South Africa.
Taylor was appointed captain 16 months ago but when Hesson, an avowed McCullum supporter, took on the coaching job a few months ago, Taylor's future was in jeopardy.
White says he regrets the way the matter has been handled but says he has full confidence in Hesson and the direction he's taking the side.
And the CEO says the move to replace Taylor with McCullum in all but the test skipper's role came from coach Mike Hesson alone, not the players - and despite the endorsement of Taylor's captaincy by the national director of cricket John Buchanan.
