Shane Bond's international comeback likely against India in August

Wellington, June 19 (ANI): Kiwi pacer Shane Bond is eying the New Zealand A tour to India in August to make his International comeback, as his exile from national team ends in that month.

Bond was effectively banned from representing the national side when he joined the Indian Cricket League in 2007. Now, back in the selection frame after severing ties with the ICL, Bond is training in Christchurch, the NZPA reports.

Bond, 34, has expressed his desire to play all forms of the game for New Zealand, including tests, the format he blamed as the catalyst for many of the injuries that have blighted his sporadic 17-test career.

A bowler of Bond's stature might have expected to be included straightaway into the test team against Sri Lanka twice in August, but he and New Zealand Cricket selection convenor Glenn Turner felt the India tour was a more realistic goal.

The intention is for Bond, form and fitness willing, to join the limited overs squad in Sri Lanka in September for five ODIs and two Twenty20 matches.

"I love test cricket - it's the pinnacle - and it would be nice to have another chance to play," said Bond, adding he did not expect to stroll straight back into the side.

Obviously, he would be welcomed with open arms, but Turner pointed out that Bond had not played four-day cricket in New Zealand since 2006-07.

"He's obviously had a rethink, now we have to see if the body will stand up to it. Time will tell. If he can produce the goods, that's great," he said.

Bond, who last played one-day cricket for New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, said he was not as consistently fast as a decade ago, but was still clocking around the 140-kilometre/hour mark. (ANI)