Pakistan has dropped former captain Shan Masood and two frontline spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, from the squad picked for the home Test series against Sri Lanka.
However, the biggest eyebrow-raiser was Salman Ali Agha’s inclusion in a surprising move by the selectors.
The 14-man squad also included only two quicks, Mohammad Abbas and Razaullah, whose heroics in the final Test against England in Birmingham this year were the lone silver lining for Pakistan on an otherwise forgettable tour.
Keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq have both been left out.
While Masood, who led the Test side for the most part in the last three years, has been struggling fitness-wise after picking up a niggle during the President’s Trophy, Agha’s strange recall raises questions over selection criteria. Agha was among the seven players who were sent home midway through the UK tour after the Lord’s Test loss.
The right-hander, however, responded with a brilliant triple hundred on his return to Pakistan domestic cricket, and later staked a strong claim for a recall with a match-winning hundred in the ODI tri-series opener against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. Among those who are back in the Test squad after being abruptly sent home during the England Tests is all-rounder Ali Usman.
Following the selection shake-up in Pakistan Cricket, Rizwan and Imam, who are facing NCCIA investigations in Pakistan, are left out, and opener Abdullah Shafique also failed to retain his spot in the squad picked for the first two Tests. The three endured a horrid time in England, as Pakistan failed to breach the 200-run mark until the last innings of the third Test.
No Sajid, Noman for SL Tests
The most notable absentees are the two spinners who carried Pakistan on their backs during home Tests in the past four years, left-arm spinner Noman Ali and right-arm off-spinner Sajid Khan. In their absence, Ali Usman and uncapped Arafat Minhas, who picked up his career-best 6/39 against England in the Rawalpindi ODI, will lead the spin attack.
Arafat’s younger brother Sameer Minhas has also earned his maiden Test call-up as a top-order batter, with Mohammad Talha – leading run-scorer in the President’s Trophy – also being called up. Middle-order batter Mohammad Suleman is also picked for the Test series.
Pakistan will play two Tests against Sri Lanka between November 9 and 21 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, respectively.
Pakistan Test squad for Sri Lanka Series –
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas and Saud Shakeel