KEY POINTS:
Step inside Shane Bond's head for a moment.
He has a body which has repeatedly let him down in a high-stress job, hurling a cricket ball flat out at three sticks of wood for many years, not exactly a physically low-risk occupation.
When he has been fit, Bond has been an outstanding contributor for New Zealand, notably in the one-day arena but also in test cricket.
Since he made his test debut in 2002, he played 17 tests. In that period New Zealand have played 45.
They have played 143 ODIs from his first day in the black clothing to his last. He's played just 67 of them.
His latest problem was an abdominal strain, which ruled him out of the latter stages of New Zealand's tour to South Africa and Australia late last year.
Bond had set a rough target of being ready for the start of the England tests in March. But he's been here before only to have nature play its hand.
He has done well out of playing for New Zealand. He has become the biggest name in the national side - all due respect to Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori, the past skipper and the incumbent, both fine international performers.
The rewards these days for cricketers dwarf anything that's gone before.
But Bond, with his litany of physical problems, in his heart of hearts probably knows the next issue is looming. Luck has not been his friend. Even if he's feeling fine now, he's been that way before only to be cruelly cut down.
Then someone says come to India, play in a Twenty20 competition unsanctioned by the International Cricket Council. Six of your former national teammates went last year and it all went off well enough.
Oh, and we'll pay you a pile of cash.
Bond, 32, would not be human had he not seen a big payday before the end and thought "why not?"
And so he's signed up.
He hasn't spoken, but his manager, Leanne McGoldrick, has said he'll honour the terms of his New Zealand Cricket contract, which expires in May, to take up what's believed to be a three-year deal likely to cover several Twenty20 competitions a year.
He'll bowl four overs a game - maximum - will play fewer than 10 of the three-hour knockabouts each time and might quietly get the odd game off if his team are doing well.
Bond is offered terms which can set him and his family up for life.
To not consider it and instead plug on for New Zealand in the hope the bad days are behind him would be irresponsible.
There will be a large school of thought that he's turning his back on his country, that his mind is solely on the bundles of lucre.
Loyalty is a hugely admirable quality.
To some, he'll be feathering his nest at the expense of doing what kids grow up wanting to do - play their sport for their country.
But like it or not, this is the modern way. Bond is a professional. Cricket is his job and, just as in any other profession, some places pay better than others.
His time is running out, so best he cash in his talent while he can and move on with his life.
NZC have indicated if he goes, even if fit, Bond will join the other six players in the Indian Cricket League - Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Hamish Marshall and Daryl Tuffey - in having their card marked Not to Play Again for New Zealand, even though they've either retired or are well down the pecking order.
But in Bond's case, a potential legal minefield awaits. He might argue why shouldn't he play for New Zealand when not required to play in the Indian league.
Sue, Grabbit and Run will be the big winners.
Interesting times lie ahead, not just for Bond but for the future of the whole game.
