Lara announced his retirement following the West Indies' failure toqualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup in the Caribbean.
He had initially planned only to retire from one-day internationals at theend of the tournament but was expected to be part of the ongoing tour ofEngland.
According to 'The Wisden Cricketer' magazine, Lara, Test cricket's leadingall-time run scorer, wants to return to the game, although it remains unclearfor who, and at what level, he intends to play.
"I think I am going to play cricket again. If I go six or eight monthswithout cricket I would lose it and I don't want to lose it yet," saidLara.
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Asked if that meant paying for celebrity team Lashings, he replied "No,no," leaving county cricket or the proposed new Indian breakaway 20-overleague as intriguing possibilities.
Lara expected and hoped to be playing Test cricket in England this summer butclaims he left West Indies cricket on his own terms, when he retired so suddenlyafter the World Cup.
"We needed a new direction, someone who was willing to see some sort ofchange" he said. "I was willing to do that. I wanted to come toEngland but I had also said I wanted to finish with one-dayers.
"It's not ideal but then how many things in life are?"
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Despite the recent second innings heroics against England at Old Trafford,the decline in West Indies cricket has been laid bare so far this summer. Larainsists that West Indies' problems run very deep.
"It's that we don't have a good infrastructure for young guys todevelop. West Indies have a great under-15 side. I know a 16-year-old guy inTrinidad who's awesome but I worry for him because of the facilities.
"A mediocre Australian cricketer at 17 or 18 will be slapping everyoneall over the world five years later.
If you don't have facilities and you don't have employment then you have anegative atmosphere."
Lara feels that he fulfilled personal goals, but regrets not seeing the WestIndies reach their full potential.
"I've done what I could do so I'm happy with me. As a team, we've notbeen able to climb out of the doldrums so that will remain on my mind. That doesnot rest well with me. I leave West Indies cricket with my head held high.
"I've tried my best and I've worked my arse off. Maybe I could have donethings differently but I've done things my way - that's the most importantthing."
PTI
