Younis to be available for Australia series

Younis KhanKarachi, Nov 19 : Less than a week after withdrawing from the ongoing tour of New Zealand, Younis Khan indicated that he would be available for the series against Australia that will begin with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Younis, Pakistan's regular captain, also announced that he would soon be appearing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy - Pakistan's premier first-class cricket tournament - to regain his form that deserted him in the Champions Trophy in South Africa and a three-match one-day series against New Zealand earlier this month.

The experienced middle-order batsman said he has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about his availability for the tour of Australia during which Pakistan will play three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 game.

It remains to be seen whether Younis will return as the captain or play under Mohammad Yousuf, the senior batsman who was appointed to lead the side for the ongoing tour of New Zealand.

Younis said the issue will be decided by the PCB in due course of time.

Younis dropped a bombshell last week when he decided to take a break after leading Pakistan to a disappointing 1-2 defeat in the one-day series against the Black Caps in Abu Dhabi. The Mardan-born player had said that he lost command of the team and needed a break from international cricket. (IANS)