New Zealand's most successful wicketkeeper, Adam Parore, is pulling the gloves back on, having signed for the rebel Indian Cricket League.
And Parore is confident he can regain the form which had him rated among the best in the game before his retirement in 2002.
Parore has joinedthe Chennai franchise, winners of the inaugural ICL competition late last year on a two-year contract, making him the ninth New Zealander to sign up.
Chennai are captained by Australian Stuart Law and includes other former Australian internationals Michael Bevan and Ian Harvey.
When Parore, 37, played an invitation Twenty20 match for a team of past New Zealand internationals against New Zealand under 19 in Hamilton just before Christmas, that was the clincher in his own mind that he was up to the job.
"That game was the proof in the pudding that I could get back at least to the same level as when I retired," the Weekend Herald columnist said yesterday. "I'd always prided myself on being the best keeper around and I'm confident I can get back to that level again."
Parore played 78 tests between 1990 and 2002, scoring 2865 runs at 26.28 and taking a record 201 dismissals and 179 ODI internationals, with 3314 runs at 25.68. He sits fifth on the alltime test appearance list and seventh in ODIs.
He pointed out when he retired from cricket it was not because he had lost interest in playing.
"I've always wanted to play but I realised I wanted to secure the future financially for my family. In a way I am lucky I retired early enough to still have a few years left."
Parore said nothing beat the buzz he got out of playing top flight sport.
Parore heads to India next week. Other New Zealand players in the ICL are Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Craig McMillan, Hamish Marshall, Nathan Astle, Daryl Tuffey, Andre Adams and Shane Bond.
