Pakistan on Monday called up uncapped players Saim Ayub, Aamir Jamal and Khurrum Shehzad for the three-Test series in Australia, starting in December after fast bowler Naseem Shah couldn't recover from a shoulder surgery for the tour.
Shan Masood will be leading the 18-member squad against Australia with new chief selector, Wahab Riaz also recalling left-arm pacer, Mir Hamza for the tour for which nine players from the World Cup squad have also been retained.
Pakistan plays three Tests before moving on to New Zealand for five T20 internationals but Wahab only named the Test squad on Monday.
While swashbuckling opener, Saim Ayub has played 8 T20 internationals and Aamir Jamal four T20 matches, pace bowler Khurrum Shehzad has been called up for the first time by Pakistani selectors due to his impressive performances in domestic cricket.
Naseem Shah not available
Wahab said that Naseem, who was injured during the Asia Cup and later had a shoulder surgery in the UK, would began bowling at 50-60 percent capacity in three weeks time so he was not available for the tour.
Mir Hamza last played a Test against New Zealand in Karachi last January but was then dropped for the Sri Lankan tour.
Retained & overlooked players
Former captain, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Imam ul Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Wasim junior have been retained from the WC squad.
The selectors have overlooked opener Fakhar Zaman, fast bowler Haris Rauf, leg spinner Usama Mir, allrounders Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed for the Test tour from the WC squad.
Former captain and keeper, Sarfaraz Ahmed, spinner, Abrar Ahmed, spinner Noman Ali all played in the Test series in Sri Lanka in June-July while allrounder Faheem Ashraf's last Test appearance was in December 2022 against England.
