Vettori confident of Champions Trophy return

New Zealand's lack of cricket in coming months may not be an ideal situation for many, but Daniel Vettori is unlikely to be arguing about it.

The Black Caps are not scheduled to play any international cricket till October, when they take part in the Champions Trophy in India and that break allows Vettori ample time to successfully recover from a stress fracture of the back.

Vettori arrived back in New Zealand earlier this week, having had to cut short a county contract with Warwickshire after just one game due to his injury and he now begins the long road back to full fitness.

"It's just the process it has been in the past of resting and once the pain subsides I can get back into rehab," Vettori told the Waikato Times. "I'm fortunate there's no international cricket till October and I'm confident of being back for the Champions Trophy." New Zealand cricket said recently they expect Vettori to resume training in approximately 12 weeks, which would give him another month before the start of the Champions Trophy to regain fitness.

Having broken down once already with a stress fracture of the back - in 2000 which eventually compelled him to remodel his action - Vettori said he was aware that it might be something similar during his first game for Warwickshire.

"I've grown accustomed to a bit of pain but it got a little sorer in England and I thought I needed to do something about it."

New Zealand open their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa on October 16 in Mumbai in a difficult group which also includes Pakistan.