'Devastated' Cairns exploring legal action against IPL

Wellington, Jan 6 (ANI): Former New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns, who is devastated after the Indian Premier League removed his name from the list of cricketers up for a player auction, is exploring legal action.

Cairns' London-based legal representative Andrew Fitch-Holland hit out today at media reports quoting IPL boss Lalit Modi as to the reasons behind Cairns' sudden removal from the auction list of 97 players.

A report on leading cricket website Cricinfo was removed, and Fitch-Holland said he would be seeking apologies and retractions after Modi's "defamatory remarks" were quoted elsewhere, Stuff.co.nz reports.

"Chris is appalled at the reckless way in which unsubstantiated gossip has been put into the media by a person holding such a position as Modi," Fitch-Holland said in a statement.

Fitch-Holland added 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 IPL themselves had instigated discussions with Cairns regarding his availability for their forthcoming tournament, Fitch-Holland said.

"Modi's comments and the subsequent publication of them by others have had an immediate and highly damaging effect on Chris' reputation and indeed on his future within the game," the statement said.

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-team-mate and former Indian international Dinesh Mongia was also suspended over alleged match fixing charges. (ANI)