Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns is currently out of life support and he has been recovering in hospital after emergency heart surgery in Sydney. Notably, he was on full life support in a Canberra hospital earlier after suffering a major heart problem. New Zealand media has reported this on August 10 as well.

“I’m pleased to advise that Chris is off life support and has been able to communicate with his family from hospital in Sydney,” Aaron Lloyd said in a statement. “He and his family are thankful for all of the support and well wishes from everyone, and for the privacy they have been afforded. They request that this continues as they focus on his recovery moving forward.”

However, Cairns, 51, had surgery in Canberra after a “major medical event”. As per Newshub, he had suffered an aortic dissection in his heart in Canberra and went through a lot of surgeries after suffering a heart problem but had not responded to any treatment as well earlier this month and the seriousness of his condition required him to move to St Vincent’s for another operation.

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However, he became the first cricketer to score a century in an ICC Champions Trophy final for a winning cause. Chris Cairns also became the third player to hit a hundred in a Champions Trophy final. Philo Wallace and Sourav Ganguly were the first and second players to smash a century in the ICC Champions Trophy final as well.

Chris Cairns has been one of the key players of New Zealand cricket in their history. His contribution to the 50-over format has been vividly remembered. He finished his Test career with a batting average of 33.53 whereas he has a bowling average of 29.40 in the longer format as well. He is widely known as one of the greatest all-rounders of the game as well.

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He was also named as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year. And, after his cricketing career, he became a commentator with Sky Sports New Zealand also. He had played 62 Tests, 215 ODIs and 2 T20Is for New Zealand where he has scored 3320 runs in Test cricket, 4950 runs in ODIs as well. Chris Cairns has also scored 22 fifties and 5 centuries with the best score of 158 as well in Tests.