The 29-year-old started the summer with the clear goal of forcing his way back into the national squad and was earlier this week named in the one-day side.
He is likely to open the batting with Martin Guptill in the first one-dayer against the West Indies in Wellington on Boxing Day.
''It's just an exciting time,'' Ryder said.
''I've worked hard since I've come down to Otago and I've been scoring runs, so the hard work has paid off and I'm happy.''
It will be Ryder's first game back in the black shirt since February last year when he decided to take a break from the game at the highest level.
Events this year have helped bring into focus how important the game is to the punishing left-hander.
Ryder was assaulted outside a Christchurch bar in March and suffered a serious head injury and an aspirated lung. It was while he was recovering he learned he had tested positive for a prohibited substance he had consumed while taking a weight-loss supplement.
He was banned for six months but effectively did not miss any cricket as he would have been unfit to play anyway. Had the ban been for two years, Ryder's career might have been over.
''It did cross my mind,'' Ryder responded when asked if he thought he might never play cricket, let alone international cricket, again.
''Once I failed that test, I thought that was my career over. But I came out on top of that. I've come down to Otago for a fresh start and it seems to be doing the trick for me.''
Since transferring south from Wellington, Ryder has had seven first-class innings and plundered 454 runs at an average of 64.85. His recall was inevitable with that sort of form.
He also showed how handy he can be with the ball yesterday, taking three for 32 in Otago's Plunket Shield match against Central Districts at the University Oval.
Otago is 30 for two in reply to Central Districts' 255. It is a tight game and Ryder is focused on helping his adopted province win the match, so he has not thought about the impending challenge of West Indies seamers such as Tino Best or Darren Sammy.
"I haven't thought about that. I've got to get through this game yet and score runs here. I fly up there on the 24th and I'll start trying to get my head around it then.''
