Pakistan selectors today said that they have delayed announcing the Test squad for the Australia series due to injury problems to frontline players as well dip in form of some of them.
Pakistan plays its first Test against Australia from Oct 22 followed by second Test against the same opposition followed by three-Test series versus New Zealand.
To make matters worse for Pakistan cricket, both Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi insisted on Monday they were both keen to lead the team in the World Cup, 2015.
"The delay in announcing the Test squad has been forced on us owing to injuries to an bunch of frontline players (Muhammad Hafeez, Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz) and with a view to field the best possible team, the selectors would like to wait for an update on their fitness as well as the form of the players featuring in the side match against Australia," chief selector, Moin Khan said in a statement.
Pakistan also confirmed it had lost left-arm pacer, Wahab Riaz for the Tests against Australia, due to a knee injury.
Wahab was injured and limped off after bowling just two overs in the second one-day International against Australia in Dubai and on Monday the PCB confirmed he had a serious injury.
"The MRI report reveals significant bone damage and damage to the cartilage under the knee cap and suspicion of a tear. The joint is also mildly swollen and he has been advised three to four weeks rehabilitation and rest," the PCB said in a statement.
Earlier, Pakistan had lost their senior all-rounder, Muhammad Hafeez due to a hand injury before the start of the ODI series while Junaid also injured his knee in nets during the series and both had to return home.
"The situation regarding Hafeez and Junaid is not encouraging at all they are unlikely to play in the Tests," a source in the PCB told PTI.
