Devine took a mental health break late last year, skipping the lucrative Women's Premier League in India recently.
But the 35-year-old has been named for New Zealand's first T20 match at Eden Park on Friday.
Apart from being without injured captain Alyssa Healy, Australia have picked a full-strength XI for the first of three games.
New Zealand captain Suzie Bates won the toss and elected to bat first on Friday.
The White Ferns are the reigning T20 world champions after pulling off a surprise win at last October's tournament.
Australia, who had won the previous three T20 world cups, were eliminated in the semi-finals and will be desperate to reassert their dominance.
Star bowler Alana King, who was player of the series in the recent Ashes thumping of England, has been left out in preference of fellow legspinner Georgia Wareham.
Australia: Beth Mooney, Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
New Zealand: Suzie Bates (capt), Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Jess Kerr, Polly Inglis (wk), Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson
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