The Vent: Jesse Ryder is a changed man

Jesse Ryder is a changed man according to a teammate. Photo / Duncan Brown

Jesse Ryder is a changed man and "wants to play for the Black Caps more than anything" a teammate has revealed.

The Herald on Sunday reported yesterday that Ryder approached senior Black Caps and management recently asking for another chance.

Ryder has had no publicised protocol transgressions since he and Doug Bracewell stayed out late before the first test against India two years ago. Unlike Bracewell, Ryder has not played for the team since. He opted out of a New Zealand A tour in November 2014 for "personal reasons".

A teammate of Ryder told Tony Veitch that Ryder has "changed his attitude completely", Veitch revealed on The Vent today.

The unnamed player told Veitch: "Yes, he wants to play for the Black Caps more than anything in his life. He's not had a drink for 18 months."

"He has a great partner who has helped him work on his troubled past and like I said he's off the booze. I was never a huge fan of Jesse Ryder until I got to know him personally and now he's a top bloke and I've noticed he's changed his attitude completely."

Watch the Vent: