McCullum: Ryder not ready for Black Caps return

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum says batsman Jesse Ryder is not on the brink of returning to the side, despite some sublime form, as he has not yet proven to the team that he is ‘ready’.
Ryder, one of the more troublesome players due to alcohol and discipline issues, was dropped in January after drinking the night before a Test. This was not his first offense, and he’d only recently returned to action.
He’d played County cricket for Essex this past season to great effect, and recently scored a blistering 136 off just 57 balls for Otago against Ireland. Pressure to recall him is high, given the Kiwis lost the ODI series to South Africa.
McCullum said: “I’ve already said we won’t compromise the environment because we represent our country and there’s certain obligations which you need to uphold out of respect to the people who support this team.
“Jesse knows he’s got some work to do, he’s an undoubted talent and if he can get himself right and he’s scoring runs and a vacancy is there and the group’s ready for him, I see no reason why he can’t come back.
“But until that happens we’d be trying to push something that is not quite ready.
“We’ve got to make sure Jesse is really desperate to play for New Zealand and make sure he fits within the group.
“He is well aware of that. Let’s hope he is desperate to come back and the environment is ready for him.”
Latest
-
News
England’s Dom Bess thinks pitch for Friday’s warm-up won’t be repeated in series
England finally took to the pitch in Hambantota for a low-key workout between Team Root and Team Buttler.
-
News
Proteas name Test squad for Pakistan tour
South Africa have named a 21-man touring party for the two-Test series in Pakistan.
-
News
Smith makes distinction between out of runs and out of form
Steve Smith put paid to the suggestion he was out of form with a fighting hundred against India.
-
News
England warm-up under way in Sri Lanka
The touring squad has returned a second round of clear Covid-19 tests following Moeen Ali’s positive result.
-
News
Jack Leach awaiting Covid vaccine news after ‘scary’ vulnerable classification
The England spinner takes medication for Crohn’s disease, leaving his immune system weakened.
-
News
Jonny Bairstow ready to tap into Jacques Kallis class during Sri Lanka tour
The England batsman is enthused about working with the Proteas great.
-
News
Heather Knight to lead England in ‘historic’ Pakistan tour
England Women will play two T20s and three ODIs in Karachi later this year.
-
News
Claire Polosak makes history as first woman to officiate a men’s Test
Claire Polosak continues to blaze a trail for women in umpiring.
-
News
Pooran insists West Indies will be a T20 World Cup threat
You would be foolish to discount the West Indies in the short format despite their poor run of late.
-
News
Andrew Balbirnie excited about Ireland’s year ahead
Ireland will play seven internationals in January, the same as the whole of 2020.