The former New Zealand allrounder is being treated in Canberra and is in serious condition, as per media reports
Cairns, 51, had undergone several operations after suffering a heart problem but had not responded to treatment as hoped, Newshub reported.
Newshub said Cairns had suffered an aortic dissection in his heart in Canberra last week. An aortic dissection is a tear in the body’s main artery.
New Zealand’s players’ union was unable to provide immediate comment. A New Zealand Cricket (NZC) spokesman said the board was respecting Cairns’ right to privacy and declined to comment on the situation.
Cairns was one of the best allrounders of his era, especially in the shorter formats. He played 62 Tests, 215 ODIs and two T20Is for New Zealand between 1989 and 2006, before becoming a television pundit.