Younus Khan has been overlooked for the Test series against Australia later this month, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today.

Stand-in captain and middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf, currently in charge for the ongoing series against New Zealand, will continue to lead the team Down Under.

Kamran Akmal has been named vice-captain while Shahid Afridi has been named skipper for the limited-overs matches which follows the Tests in Australia.

Younus had presided over a 2-1 loss to New Zealand in a one-day series in Abu Dhabi last month and then dropped himself for the three-Test series against New Zealand which followed the ODIs. Younus said he had "lost command" over his players.

The captaincy was then handed to Yousuf.

Chairman of selectors Iqbal Qasim advised Younus to play in the domestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, but the 32-year-old did not show up for his team Habib Bank.

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Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt explained that decision ruled Younus out of contention for the Australia series.

"Younus should have played domestic matches to be a candidate for selection for the tour of Australia," Butt said.

Pakistan have also axed wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and all-rounder Yasir Arafat, while Misbah-ul Haq retains his place in the team.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international in Australia, their tour beginning with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The Pakistan squad: Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Yousuf (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Abdur Rauf, Umar Akmal.

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