Australia vs Pakistan: Visitors name a new-look 16-man squad for the Test series

Pakistan have called up a couple of teenage players in the Test squad for the upcoming Australia tour. Naseem Shah and Musa Khan, 16 and 17 years old respectively, have been picked even as the former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is dropped from the team. Azhar Ali will lead the 16-man squad which includes only nine players previous team which played the last Test match during their South Africa tour.

Fakhar Zaman who was picked to replicate his limited-overs success in the longest format has also been left out. Apart from Sarfaraz and Zaman, Pakistan have also dropped Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali, Though Hasan Ali missed the previous series as well, there is no update on his injury. Mohammad Amir who played South Africa Tests has retired from Test cricket while Wahab Riaz has taken a break from red-ball cricket.

Abid Ali gets a chance in Pakistan squad

Abid Ali has been around the national team for quite some time now but never got picked. However, Misbah-ul-Haq, the head coach and the chief selector, has given him a chance while Iftikhar Ahmed is also selected after making a comeback in the ODI and T20I side for the recent Sri Lanka series.

In Sarfaraz’s absence, Mohammad Rizwan will keep wickets in both the Test matches and no back-up has been named for him. Imran Khan Snr who last played a Test in 2017 has returned while Mohammad Abbas will lead the new-look pace attack. The 33-year-old Kashif Bhatti, the left-arm spinner, is also among the ones to earn a maiden Test call-up.

Pakistan are scheduled to play two Test matches in Australia before which they will also play two practice matches. This will also mark the beginning of their Test Championship as the first match of the series will be played in Brisbane from November 21. The second and final game will commence on November 29 in Adelaide.

Pakistan Test squad: Azhar Ali (C), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

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