WELLINGTON, Nov 20: Despite a number of key players missing from the squad, all-rounder Chris Cairns says he is looking forward to the chance at leading the Black Caps in Pakistan for what will be “a very packed” cricket tour of the sub-continent.

Four players in Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Scott Styris and Ian Butler have withdrawn from the tour, while veteran skipper Stephen Fleming is sidelined with an abdominal injury.

“Stephen requires physiotherapy treatment and rest over the next three weeks to help ensure he is fit for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand next month,” team’s medical coordinator Warren Frost said Thursday.

The Kiwis are also reeling from a some heavy defeats during the recent disappointing Tri-Nation cup in India, which saw them end bottom of the log.

This has not deterred Cairns, who is now the player most likely to take over in absence of Fleming and expressed the importance of injured captain accompanying the team.

“First of all, I would want Flem to be there if we had a choice,” Cairns told The New Zealand Herald.

“If the selectors decide I’m the person to lead then, that would be wonderful.”

Cairns’ last game as skipper saw India thrash the Kiwis by 145 runs to earn place in the final. The hard-hitting allrounder feels that an extended run as captain would be more fair.

“Rather than having just one game, I would have a series to see what I’m capable of,” explained Cairns.

The team arrives in Pakistan one week later than originally scheduled to, leaving them having to fit five one-dayers into a 10-day period.

Making matters even more difficult will be the hoards of security personnel that will accompany the team and shadow all their movements - something that Cairns says will be a new experience for the team.

“We come from an environment where our police don’t even carry guns, so to go somewhere where we get security usually reserved for heads of state is a big transition,” he admitted.

“It’s quite hard to explain what it’s like unless you experience it. But we’ve been assured that everything’s fine.”

The tour to Pakistan was finally given green light by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) earlier this week, despite NZC receiving a threat advising them not to play during holy month of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden is to accompany the team on their troubled tour of Pakistan, according to reports on Thursday.

“I like the idea of going with the team at the moment because with so much going on it is preferable to see it for yourself,” Snedden told Wellington’s Dominion-Post newspaper.

The tour was due to start on Thursday but was put back a week after threats were made to New Zealand players.

“You sit here in New Zealand and make judgment but nothing beats experiencing what they are getting,” Snedden added.

New Zealand are also considering sending John Bracewell to Pakistan as the team’s coach. The former New Zealand off spinner was not due to take over his coaching duties until next month.—Reuters