It will be a welcome sight for both his province and country.
The 30-year-old spinner has not played since the first test against India in Kanpur in September.
He returned home from that tour with a side strain. But just when he was fit enough to resume training, an old back injury flared up and he missed the entire New Zealand domestic season.
He had surgery in February to correct a prolapsed disc and faced three months of rest before he could do much in the way of training.
''I'm still getting some treatment - some physio each week,'' he said.
''But it is much better compared to when I went into surgery. I used to have pins and needles all the way down my left leg.
''All that has gone since I've had the surgery.'
''I'm back doing some running three times a week - just some stride-outs and things like that. It is nothing too full-on.
''I've starting hitting some balls again. But again we are very, very limited in the batting drills.''
Craig goes to the gym as well and the plan is to tentatively start bowling in a ''couple of weeks''.
He is really looking forward to that part. Sitting on the sidelines watching his team-mates had not been much fun.
''It was probably one of the hardest things I've done. I had chronic fatigue back in the day but this was quite tough having to sit on the sideline and watch the boys play.''
He desperately wanted to be out in the middle helping Otago through what proved to be a tough year for the team. He had cortisone injection in the hope he would be able to return and put off surgery until the winter. But the pain remained and he was left with no alternative but to get surgery.
The injury not only robbed him of a season he will never get back, but it also cost him his national contract. But he remains upbeat about his chances of returning to international cricket.
''The mindset I'm taking is that just because I haven't got a New Zealand contract doesn't mean I'll never play for them again.
''It is just another challenge that has been put in front of me and I'll just have to work through it and do what I can for Otago.
