The talented but tortured left-hander was due to leave the country tomorrow with New Zealand A on what was widely believed to be a make-or-break tour of the United Arab Emirates but pulled out citing personal reasons.
His withdrawal follows his absence from Otago's match with Canterbury at Hagley Oval on Sunday.
Ryder (30) missed the team's flight to Christchurch on Saturday and then decided against joining the team because of personal issues, believed to be a relationship problem.
Ryder was off limits to the media yesterday and Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes, who met Ryder in the morning to discuss the issue, was guarded in his comments.
''He withdrew from the Canterbury game on Sunday morning because he has a personal issue or two which he is working through and has requested privacy on,'' Dykes said.
''We've acknowledged he has withdrawn for those reasons and are really just trying to put the right support around him so he can get through this as fast as possible. And we hope to have him back in the twenty20 team ASAP, really.''
Ryder was axed from the New Zealand test squad earlier this year after a night out drinking with Doug Bracewell.
Dykes would not be drawn on whether Ryder, who was spotted in the city drinking on Friday night, had missed the flight to Christchurch because of alcohol-related issues.
''[The team] have been consulted and the issue has been dealt with internally. I think that is where it stays.''
Otago coach Dimitri Mascarenhas said Ryder would face a penalty for missing the flight but the decision would be ''kept in house''.
''Once I get back, I'll have a chat with [Ryder] and see where he is at. But at this stage we are just trying to do the best thing for Jesse and if he has to miss one, two, three or however many games he has to miss to get himself right, then that is what we will be doing.''
National selector Bruce Edgar said Ryder was running out of opportunities to press his case for inclusion in the 30-strong provisional World Cup squad, which will be named early next month and then to cut to a final squad of 15 players by the January 8 deadline.
''It is sort of getting harder and harder,'' Edgar said.
''But there is a number of domestic matches that are going to be on and we'll just have to gauge things from there.''
Asked if Ryder was the type of player you take a punt on for the initial squad and review it later, Edgar seemed to suggest Ryder's ability to cope with off-the-field issues might count against him.
''We'll have to make that decision closer to the time. It comes down to how much confidence you have in players in pressure situations.
"We just want to make sure that we are picking the guys who can perform under pressure and that includes the factors off the field.''
Ryder will not be replaced in the New Zealand A team, with Edgar saying there was enough cover with the test team also being in the UAE.
• Ryder last night tweeted a quote from the late reggae singer Bob Marley: ''Who are you to judge the life I live? I am not perfect and I don't have to be! Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean.''
