Jesse Ryder wants back in and now he just has to jam his foot in the door.
The former Black Cap has been included in New Zealand XI for a three-day warm-up match against a West Indies XI in Lincoln later this month.
The Otago left-hander will be joined by provincial team-mates Mark Craig and Black Caps Brendon McCullum and Hamish Rutherford.
Otago opener Aaron Redmond will also play in the game but he will line up for the opposition.
National selector Bruce Edgar said the players have come predominantly from Otago and Canterbury, who do not have any conflicting Plunket Shield or twenty20 matches.
That said, all eyes will be on Ryder. He has made no secret of his desire to get back to the top level and a good performance could see him achieve that goal sooner rather than later.
''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 in a press release.
Ryder, who suffered a serious head injury following an assault outside a Christchurch bar in March, scored a century in his comeback match last month but looked out of touch during Otago's twenty20 loss to Northern Districts on Saturday night.
Craig's inclusion is an interesting move. The offspinner is rated highly by Otago coach Vaughn Johnson and the Black Caps have certainly experimented with the country's spinning stocks. Todd Astle, Ish Sodhi, Bruce Martin and Jeetan Patel have all played test cricket for New Zealand this year.
In limited-over matches, Nathan McCullum and Daniel Vettori - when he is fit - are preferred, but Roneel Hira has also had a run and Tarun Nethula played five ODIs in 2012.
It would not be out of character for the Black Caps to take another punt. Craig's first-class record, though, does little to inspire confidence.
He has taken 24 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 46.04, including one five-wicket bag. He is very much still learning his craft at domestic level but does get good bounce and can turn the ball.
Redmond and Auckland opener Jeet Raval will open the batting for the West Indies as the visitors will not have a full XI in the country at the time due to the their one-day squad still being in India.
Redmond played seven tests for New Zealand in 2008 and has also appeared in coloured clothing for the Black Caps. The 34-year-old was the leading scorer in the Plunket Shield last summer with 941 runs at an average of 55.35. He has made a good start this season with a century in Otago's opening match. Raval has also been in fine nick, with two centuries.
The Black Caps test squad for the series against the West Indies will be named on November 25.
New Zealand XI To play West Indies XI
Brendon McCullum, Todd Astle, James Baker, Dean Brownlie, Mark Craig, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, Andrew Mathieson, Hamish Rutherford, Jesse Ryder, Anurag Verma.
