PCB chief wants Younis back

Karachi - Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson Ejaz Butt wants to see troubled former captain Younis Khan return to international cricket for the next month's tour of Australia.

Batsman Younis was replaced as captain for the Test tour to New Zealand early this month when he pulled out of the trip following a one-day series loss to the same opponents in Abu Dhabi.

With media reports suggesting Younis had lost the confidence of his players, he told the board he wanted to take a break from international cricket as he was struggling for form.

"Personally I want to see Younis playing in Australia as a Pakistan player. I don't think his career is over by any stretch of imagination, He is still a top test batsman," Butt told reporters on Sunday.

Butt added that Younis' form would be assessed by the national selectors with a view at playing in the full tour of Australia.

The PCB has appointed senior batsman Muhammad Yousuf as skipper for the three-test series in New Zealand and has said it would decide on the captain for the Australian leg in the near future.

Butt said he was confident Younus would resume playing in domestic cricket soon so that was easier for the selectors to reach a decision when they finalised the squad for Australia.

"I believe he still has number of years of cricket left in him and can contribute a lot more runs to the Pakistan team," Butt added.

Younis, who turns 32 later this month, has a batting average of 50.09 in 63 Tests but just 33.12 in 197 one-day internationals.