Mohammad Yousuf has been retained as Pakistan captain for the Test and One-day international series against Australia starting this month.
Yousuf will lead the side in absence of regular skipper Younus Khan after the latter made himself unavailable for the tour, which includes three tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals.
Flamboyant opener Shahid Afridi would be Yousuf's deputy for the one-dayers and also lead the team in the Twenty20 matches.
“He (Younus) has not been in touch with us at all since returning home and he didn't inform us about his availability for the Australian tour. So we didn't consider him for the series,” chief selector Iqbal Qasim said.
Qasim said Younus would have to play some domestic cricket in order to prove his form before being considered for national selection again in the future.
“He had withdrawn from the test tour of New Zealand because of his poor form, so he has to play in some domestic matches to get his touch back,” Qasim said.
“Yousuf has done enough to be made captain for tests and ODIs as the Chairman of the board didn't agree at the thought to have separate captains for tests and ODIs,” a board official said.
