Cricket: Cairns sues over IPL auction comments

Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns is to sue Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi for defamation.

Cairns said in a statement that comments Modi made this week in relation to the IPL's decision to withdraw the all rounder's name from a list of potential players to be auctioned for participation in IPL3 had caused him "huge personal distress and professional damage".

"I cannot allow these slurs to ruin my future and I have instructed my solicitors, Collyer Bristow LLP, to bring proceedings for defamation against Mr. Modi.".

Cairn's representative Andrew Fitch-Holland said: "Having spent much of the last day seeking expert advice, we will now move quickly to fight the damage being done to Chris' reputation. ".

Modi's comments as to the reasons behind Cairns' sudden removal from the auction list of 97 players were widely reported on Wednesday.

Fitch-Holland said then he would be seeking apologies and retractions after Modi's "defamatory remarks" were quoted elsewhere.

Fitch-Holland said Cairns, 39, was never the subject of any investigation or finding of misconduct during his short stint in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The statement didn't explain why Cairns' name had been removed from the auction list as he sought to revive his career in the lucrative IPL.

Cairns was suspended from the rival ICL in October 2008 on what was described as "disciplinary grounds" after captaining the Chandigarh Lions in three matches.

His then-teammate and former Indian international Dinesh Mongia was also suspended.

At the time, Fitch-Holland said he agreed with a report on Cricinfo that claimed Cairns had been suspended for arriving in India with an undeclared ankle injury, which violated his contract. "That is the position," the lawyer said.

Cairns played the last of his 62 tests against England in 2004. He also played 215 one-day internationals, and played his final match for New Zealand in the Twenty20 format against the West Indies in 2006.

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