Cairns will adjust to New Zealand's needs at No 5

Chris Cairns will not bowl at all in the remaining two National Bank Series matches between New Zealand and India.

Everything is now aimed at having Cairns in perfect condition to perform the role captain Stephen Fleming will want from him when the New Zealanders play their opening World Cup game against Sri Lanka at Bloemfontein on February 10.

Cairns said he couldn't commit to bowling his full complement of 10 overs from the outset but he wanted to be able to give Fleming the option of using him as a bowler.

His primary role would be to play as a No 5 batsman and then backing up and taking wickets for the side.

Cairns, who came back into the TelstraClear Black Caps a game earlier than intended due to the injury suffered by Jacob Oram, said he was delighted to be back in action in Wellington yesterday.

"It was great to be there and seeing the advancement of the guys since I last played," he said.

Cairns said he was having to think a little differently about his play and there was definitely a difference in the mentality applied to his role at No 5. He found he needed to be more circumspect.

His return to the side for a rollicking 25 had tended to crystallise the way he found himself getting to Wellington at all.

He found out about his recall at 4pm on Tuesday after playing for his Canterbury side and then found himself at the crease with New Zealand three wickets for three runs at Wellington.

Witnessing first hand the development of bowlers like Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and seeing Oram's advance on television coverage of the series, said what had impressed him in conditions that were the same for both teams was the way the New Zealand bowlers had been so consistent.

"They've put the ball in the right areas. They have come through in the last few years and we are reaping the rewards of bringing them in a little early a couple of years ago," he said.

What Cairns did find during his innings at Westpac Stadium was that if the pitch was reflective of those around the country this year then it was really hard work for the batsmen but it had been great to be back out there and he felt in hindsight he had probably been a little too aggressive.

He said he totally agreed with the experimental approach taken by Fleming now that the series was safe for New Zealand and the exercise of batting first had been good for the side.

Cairns said that while it had been disappointing to be restricted to watching from the sidelines during the series, it had been therapeutic as well because he was able to spend some unexpected time with his infant son.

He said the workload he had been required to take as the leading New Zealand was quite possibly a factor in his knee problems, but overall, the problems were just a case of "that's the way it goes."