Karachi, Jan 27 : Pakistan batsman Younis Khan has emerged as the front-runner to replace Shoaib Malik as skipper ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka after they were thrashed badly by the Lankans in the just concluded ODI series.

Shoaib Malik's is in the line of fire after being retained as Pakistan captain in December 2008, for an `indefinite' period, after his team's performance hit rock bottom against Sri Lanka on home soil, The News reported.

A detailed report has been demanded by Pakistan cricket authorities from Captain Shoaib Malik and Coach Intikhab Alam regarding their team's loss against Sri Lanka in the recent one-day series.

The biggest one day defeat was faced by Pakistan as the team was beaten by Sri Lanka by 234 runs in the third day-night international at Lahore on Saturday. Sri Lanka had a 2-1 win in the three-match series.

The first match was however won by Pakistan by eight wickets in Karachi before losing the second by 129 runs, also in Karachi.

Chennai, Jan. 26 : Indian Cricket team on Monday left on a 14-day tour to Sri Lanka to play a five day one-day international (ODI) series besides a Twenty-20 cricket match.

Team India is being led by master blaster Mahendra Singh Dhoni to play in the tour, which was arranged after India cancelled its visit to Pakistan in the wake of the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks last year.

The new face in the Indian cricket team, Ravindra Jadeja expressed hope that Indian team will be able to win the series beginning Jan. 28 and lasting till Feb. 10.

Brisbane, Jan. 26 : Under fire Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been selected to play for Queensland in their match against Western Australia at the Gabba later this week.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Symonds will bat at number four in a match that is being seen as his one and only chance to prove his fitness and form before the selectors sit down to name their Australian squad for next month''s three-Test tour of South Africa.

Despite the high stakes of the Shield match, the Queensland selectors aren''t about to make any concessions for Symonds, who has struggled up the order early this season.

Adelaide, Jan. 26: Even as Australia takes on South Africa in the fourth of five one-day internationals here today, skipper Ricky Ponting has called on his charges to draw inspiration from Australia Day.

According to Fox Sports, Ponting said he was buoyed by the patriotism of the occasion - and hoped his players felt the same way.

"There''s been a good turnout at training and lots of people waving their Australian flags which is terrific," Ponting said.

Melbourne, Jan. 26 : Experts are now of the view that rushing all-rounder Andrew Symonds back into the Australia team was not a wise step, and add that he should have been given more time to complete his rehabilitation program.

Fox Sports quotes the experts as saying that Symonds'' return to international cricket came so quickly that it felt like he had never left the scene at all.

At the time, the controversial all-rounder appeared contrite when he promised he had learned from his many mistakes.