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Wellington: Troubled batsman Jesse Ryder is closer to a test recall after being named in a New Zealand XI to play West Indies in a three-day tour match this month.
Ryder's selection for the match, at Christchurch from Nov. 27-29, comes near the end of a year in which he survived a near-fatal assault and was suspended for six months for a doping violation.
The 29-year-old left-hander hasn't played for New Zealand since February 2012, when he was reprimanded after a one-day international against South Africa for drinking alcohol while injured.
He has since made himself unavailable for international selection while working to overcome fitness and personal issues. Ryder returned to first-class cricket this month, scoring a century in his comeback innings.
He came close to death in March when he was assaulted outside a Christchurch bar after playing for Wellington province in the playoffs of New Zealand's domestic Twenty20 competition. Ryder was placed in an induced coma while he recovered from serious head and lung injuries.
The match was fateful for Ryder because he also tested positive for two banned substances in a routine doping test after the match. The substances were contained in a product Ryder had briefly used to control his weight.
The New Zealand Sports Tribunal banned Ryder for sixth months, accepting his contention that he had used the medicine in the belief it complied with doping regulations.
Ryder has now made himself available for New Zealand selection and national selection manager Bruce Edgar welcomed his decision.
"It will be great to see Jesse back in a New Zealand team environment but it's simply another opportunity for him to show that he can perform consistently," Edgar said.
Seven New Zealand players, including captain Brendon McCullum, have been picked for the match which precedes the first of three tests against West Indies.
New Zealand XI: Brendon McCullum (captain), Todd Astle, James Baker, Dean Brownlie, Mark Craig, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, Andrew Mathieson, Hamish Rutherford, Jesse Ryder, Anurag Verma.
