I left cricket at right time: Cairns

NEW DELHI: Christopher Lance Cairns, or the classy right-handed batsman and the dangerous medium-pacer - Chris Cairns for all, always knew what he did. Be it brutally hitting any bowler for a boundary straight down the ground or bidding adieu to a game he lived for almost 16 years. 'Regrets' is definitely not a word for such men.
"There's no good time to go.There's always a right time and a wrong time. I preferred the right one," says the former Kiwi star. And of course, Cairns's three and four-yearold sons Abraham and Thomas are big enough reasons to keep him from being tempted to step back into the arena. "I am enjoying every bit of the so-called retired life with my young family and promoting the sport.
So, I am surely not coming back, not even for a World Cup or coaching," the proud dad, who has put on a few extra kilos, says, with the old mischievous smile.
It is not easy to fill the void when someone like Cairns, who had the ability to carry his team single-handedly , as he did in the 2000 ICC Trophy final against India (making an unbeaten 102), bids adieu. As his former teammate and New Zealand vice-captain Daniel Vettori says, "I would have liked to have him with us in the coming World Cup, but Jacob Oram, James Franklin and myself are trying hard to make up for his absence."
The two Kiwi cricketers were in town on Wednesday on a promotional trip.
On New Zealand failing to click when it mattered in the recent Champions Trophy, in the semifinal against arch-rivals Australia, Cairns feels that though the team performed to its ability, the individuals should be given more responsibilities and batting needs to be spruced up.
Though, the tournament didn't turn out as expected for Vettori and his side, he is more than happy with the novel way the Indian wickets behaved. "India has always been the home of spin bowling with highly unpredictable tracks which is in a way good for the game," says Vettori.
Coming back to Cairns, the debonair cricketer has a special liking for India. That is why he has busied himself with the soon-to-be launched Chris Cairns Foundation for the welfare of the underprivileged children in the country.
About the Indian team, Cairns opines that Sourav Ganguly has a good chance of making a comeback if the team continues with the recent bad patch and because of Yuvraj's injury.
On Irfan Pathan, Cairns feels that the young spearhead of the pace attack has been burdened with too much expectation .
"You people need to be a bit patient with the young boy," he says.