If you think of cricket all-rounders who failed to realize their potential, Christopher Cairns will be among the first names that will come to mind. This despite the fact that the 33-year-old won New Zealand their first one-day tournament title at the ICC Knockout Trophy in 2000, scoring a scintillating 102 against India in the final; bowled New Zealand to its first-ever victory at Lord's; won the Wisden Cricketer of the Year award in 2000 and was ranked the top all-rounder in world cricket by PriceWater House Cooper's rankings.
In between the windows of time he also coped with several injuries, a divorce and the loss of his sister in an accident.
Yet his appetite for cricket remains insatiable.
Having given up on Test cricket due to the plethora of injuries, Cairns is making a comeback to international cricket in the upcoming triangular series which involves the Kiwis, Australia and India.
But the world-class all-rounder has a slight problem on hand.
"The Kiwi team has really grown in strength and there is competition for places with the talent that we have. This is something that has never happened to me before.
"My first goal will be to make the start-up eleven," he says.
Describing the Indian tour as a great challenge, Cairns said anything can happen in the tri-series, especially with Australia sending a very inexperienced bowling attack and India playing without Ashish Nehra and Javagal Srinath.
"Fielding holds the key in this triangular," he opines.
"Of course, we are against the finalists of the World Cup, India and Australia, but we're not here to compete but to play aggressive cricket and get to the finals. After that anything could happen. The final is a one-off game."
Cairns feels it won't be difficult to adjusting to Indian conditions since he is just coming from Johannesburg, where his wife gave birth to baby boy, named Barm.
"The temperatures there were between 25-30 degrees and my preparation has been great."
Cairns had a rather mediocre World Cup by his own standards, scoring a single fifty, against Zimbabwe, and picking just two wickets at an average of 27 and an economy rate of 6.75.
In an interview to rediff.com then, he had affirmed that it would be his last World Cup.
Asked about his future plans, Cairns said he wished he knew the answer to that one.
"I have come off a very demanding six months of county cricket. My fitness as an all-rounder is important. The mentality of playing as a batter is different from that of an all-rounder."
He praised the work culture of the Australians, who he deemed are the best team in world cricket today.
"They are a good side. Their strength is being able to keep players on the field. They have been able to play Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne together for so long. They learnt from the eighties when they lost some great players and went through a trough. They lost too many senior players in one go.
"It will be interesting to see what happens if they lose key bowlers. But they have a very strong batting lineup."
He said it is not cricket alone that the Aussies are the best at.
"They have good systems and good cricketers in place, enjoy great conditions. Their government is behind them and that helps. Culture breeds success."
Refusing to comment on his skipper, Stephen Fleming's delayed declaration, he said comments on tactics in Tests should be reserved for the end of the game.
He also criticized the Mohali pitch, saying he is glad he wasn't bowling on it.
