Pakistan announce probables for Tests against Australia

Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan

Pakistan senior batsman Younis Khan, who lashed out at the selectors for dropping him for the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, has been retained in the preliminary Test squad announced today. The veteran said he was "hurt" after he was overlooked in the 50-over squad and asked the national selectors whether he should shoot himself.

"Don't select me, not even for Tests, I sacrifice my future," said the 36-year-old after the PCB selectors decided not to include him in their "future plans".

Younis, though, was never expected to be dropped from squad as Shahryar Khan, PCB chairman, decided not to take any disciplinary action against the veteran for the outburst and said the Pakistan batsman ought to show "some maturity". Younis was one of the few highlights for Pakistan from their recent tour of Sri Lanka where they lost both the Tests. The right-hander scored 211 runs from two Tests second only to wicket-keeper batsman Sarfraz Khan for Pakistan.

Injury delays squad announcement

PCB announced their 19-man preliminary squad for Tests against Australia, which came in hindsight as team-regulars Wahab Riaz and Junaid Khan are down with injuries.

Riaz, who hurt his knee during the second ODI against Aussies, was advised two weeks’ rest while Junaid, also facing a knee injury, was ruled out of the entire tour as he twisted his knee during a team practice session. The squad is to be chopped to 15 after the four-day tour match between Pakistan A and Australia, which starts on Wednesday at Sharjah.

Mohammad Hafeez, who was another big name in the injury-list, has managed to make a return. Hafeez injured the webbing in his left hand during a fielding session and was eventually ruled out of both the ODI series and T20 match of the on-going Australia’s tour.

Rookie leg break bowler finds a place

The selectors, however, had bigger issues to address as they are in a hunt to find a replacement for the now-banned Saeed Ajmal. Zulfiqar Babar and Raza Hasan, both of whom featured in the limited overs leg against the Aussies, were included.

Surprisingly, 28-year-old leg break bowler Yasir Shah was called up in place of Abdur Rehman. Poor outings in both Tests against Sri Lanka might be the catalyst to Rehman's exclusion. Shah, who is yet to make his Test debut, has played a solitary ODI and a couple of T20Is for Pakistan.

Other notable inclusions were uncapped pacemen Imran Khan and Ataullah. Misbah-ul-Haq will lead the side.

Squad: Misbah-ul Haq (C), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed (WK), Taufeeq Umar, Sami Aslam, Younis Khan, Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Ataullah, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Raza Hassan.