"Unfortunately for Neil to have a fractured finger has obviously opened up a spot for me, so it's nice to be here in the squad," said Worker, who has grappled with his share of injury demons.
Worker said he knew the Black Caps pretty well because they played against each other so often.
"To have a couple of teammates here in Ben [Wheeler] and Tom [Bruce] is pretty special for sure," he said of the two CD teammates who made their T20 debuts at McLean Park on Tuesday.
If he doesn't turn out for the Black Caps today, he will smartly cut a track back to the Central Districts Stags, who are hosting the Wellington Firebirds in the grand final of the Super Smash Twenty20 at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, from 4pm tomorrow.
"It'll be interesting to see what happens ... if I play, that's great, but if I don't, then I'll be focusing on trying to perform for CD, so that'll also be exciting," he said from his Tauranga hotel last night.
Veteran CD cricketer Ross Taylor was not considered due to a "minor side strain although it seems the bigger picture for him is the two-test series coming up against the tourists starting next week.
However, the 32-year-old also isn't available for CD either tomorrow.
"Ross, no doubt, would have liked to come back but, I guess, he has to be careful because he's got the Bangladesh test series around the corner, so there's no point risking it and I wish him a speedy recovery," said Worker.
Regardless of whether he was in the international mix or not, Worker was always going to do his homework on the Firebirds, who beat the Canterbury Kings by three wickets at the Basin Reserve last night in the preliminary final, as well as what was going to transpire in the starting XI with New Zealand coach Mike Hesson.
"If I'm in the 11, I'll certainly try to take it with open hands and take my opportunities, otherwise I'll put my focus on going back to play for CD and then I'll rejoin the squad at the Mount [Mt Maunganui]," he said.
The left-hander said it was a frustrating six months in missing the first five first-class games but it was nice to eventually return to the CD fold to enjoy cricket again.
"It's been enjoyable, especially when we're winning as well," he said after the Stags booked direct entry to the $100,000 grand final.
Like Wheeler on Tuesday, Worker is intending to make his international debut on home soil in the two remaining T20s at the Bay Oval.
CD coach Heinrich Malan will have to do some shuffling but Wheeler is returning to the CD matrix for the grand final although they have lost the services of Brisbane Heat seamer Luke Feldman, who was intending to return but is nursing a side strain after their round-robin game against the Auckland Aces this week.
But Malan is sticking to the mantra that CD are in the business of producing potential internationals.
"We've always said our job is to produce Black Caps and we've also said that if the Stags perform, we'll make sure they'll get the opportunity to showcase their skills at a higher level," he said, adding from that perspective Worker's recall was brilliant.
"If he gets to play [today] or Sunday, we wish him all the best."
Malan said the Stags often brainstormed the value of not getting too excited when things were going well but also not to beat themselves up when things aren't following the dream script.
"Cricket is an emotional game so it's played over a long period of time so he has no control of selection but, as we've said many times, he's in control of scoring runs and performing for the Stags so, hopefully, if he does that then he'll get to play at a higher level," said the South African coach.
The Bay Oval wicket is slower so there's a good chance captain Kane Williamson may chuck the ball to Worker for some left-arm orthodox slow deliveries to mix up things.
Perhaps the return of Wheeler also reflects the mindset of the Black Caps' brains trust.
"I'm pretty sure he can come right up into the mixer," he said of Worker who has claimed one wicket in T20 from two overs and was wicket-less but frugal in two overs in as many ODIs.
