'I should have died': Former Shrewsbury School and England batter James Taylor ten years on from retirement

Ten years ago James Taylor had the world at his feet and was about to make a huge impact on English test cricket.

Tipped as a future captain, he had been backed to produce big things.

However, having been taken ill during pre-season match for Nottinghamshire, Taylor would never play again.

Rushed to hospital, he was forced to retire six days later after he was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

In an honest interview with BBC Sport ten years on from having to call it a day on his cricket career - Taylor insisted he ‘should have died’ that day.

He laid out the reality of the situation, and how he has had to take his life in a different direction, at a different pace.

He said: “I should have died on that journey," he tells BBC Sport.

"My body is packing up over the course of the next five hours. I'm grey and cold but sweaty too. I'm crawling because I can't walk.

"I tried to get up some stairs but my body is packing up so I'm being sick everywhere.

"I'm not even joking, I could physically see my shirt moving from my heartbeat.

"It felt like I was incredibly anxious but obviously I shouldn't be.

"I make my way off the field because I think I'm going to be sick, think I'm going to pass out. I stuck my head down the loo and I'm not sick but I can't breathe now.

"This was probably the only time in the whole process that I actually thought I might pass out or even die."

Taylor took himself to hospital with his heart racing and his body trying to save his vital organs.

Doctors hold Taylor that in the state he was in, he should have only been conscious for ten minutes. He was in that state for six hours.

Despite his career soon coming to an end - his mind remained on cricket.

But he was forced to call time on it and had an emotional moment in front of the cricket media when announcing he would have to hang up his bat.

In the last decade he has channelled his competitive edge into other things, becoming a scratch golfer.

He has also worked as a commentator and a selector with England until 2022.

He is now set for the new season as assistant coach back at Leicestershire, where he became the youngest batter to make 1,000 County Championship runs in a season.

And despite the fact he could not continue his playing career, he has cherished the last ten years.

"I have lived a great life over the past 10 years when I shouldn't have, and I've been so lucky, and I am extremely grateful for the experiences," he said.

"I've trusted some great people who have allowed me to get things off my chest which is so important because physically we can't control what happens to us, but mentally we can, and it's so important to speak to people you trust instead of battling with yourself."