The experienced top-order batsman spent the off season in England relaxing with wife Katey, stepson Christian (9) and son Noah (8 months). He played cricket in the weekends for a club side but otherwise kept busy being a house husband.
Redmond arrived back in Dunedin about two weeks ago for what is shaping as an important season in his career.
Long-serving captain Craig Cumming relinquished the reins at the end of the summer and Redmond has been trusted with the job.
"Craig was captain for 10 years and I'm just looking to carry on the good work," Redmond said.
The 32-year-old has an experienced leadership group he can run ideas past. He can always call on Cumming, who has remained as a player, for his thoughts, and the likes of Ian Butler and Nathan McCullum have plenty of experience.
Brendon McCullum will captain Otago in the twenty/20 campaign.
"When you look at the squad, we've got quite a few guys who have played international cricket and a lot of guys who have played for New Zealand A as well.
"But I'm really enjoying the fact I can lead from the front. I think I'll flourish under that pressure."
While Redmond will call the shots on the field, there has also been a change off the pitch, with Mike Hesson stepping down after six years as coach. He has been replaced by experienced coach Vaughn Johnson, who had a two-year coaching stint with Otago in the mid 1990s and a lengthy period with Wellington.
It is a big change, and Redmond reckons he has noticed a difference already - especially in the nets.
"VJ's biggest asset is his bowling experience," Redmond said of the former New Zealand bowling coach.
"With Wellington, he basically took a handful of guys like [James] Franklin, [Iain] O'Brien and [Mark] Gillespie to the top. He really honed their skills and got them going well.
"He is quite ruthless, as well. There are no excuses. You have to train hard and I think it is great. The guys are really enjoying that type of approach.
"They are really working hard on all aspects in the nets. There is a bit of competition and it is quite good because you are in the nets and having a hit, and the guys are really trying to work you over.
"As a batting group, that is what you want. If you get put under the pump, you find when you get into a game and come across the same scenario you can actually achieve and go through it."
The Otago team is in Cromwell this week, taking advantage of the weather and getting in some solid practice on grass wickets.
"What we are trying to do is get in as much time as we can and really load up in the next couple of weeks. Then, in two or three weeks, we won't be playing catch-up to get up to pace for the season. [We will] have already done it before hand."
Otago will play Canterbury in a three-day warm-up match in Rangiora in two weeks and the same opponent in its opening Plunket Shield game, which begins on November 7.
