Extending support to Fawad Alam, former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has said that the all-rounder would have been in his Test team if he was the captain.

Pakistan’s greatest Test batsman termed it is tragic that despite his consistent performance in domestic circuit, Fawad has been excluded for team for England and Ireland tour.

“He is unlucky that despite scoring [massive runs] in first-class cricket, he is being ignored,” said the former batsman, who retired in 2017 after becoming the first Pakistani to score 10,000+ Test runs.

Expressing his reservation at the 16-member Pakistan Test squad announced for the tours next month, Younis pointed out that even experienced teams have struggled in the cold, wet conditions of Ireland and England.

“When we toured England in 2016 under Misbah’s captainship, we [managed to draw] but didn’t win the series,” the cricketer recalled, adding that the younger team, led by Sarfraz Ahmed, could struggle in the English conditions.

He further said there is no merit to the criticism that often surrounds Fawad’s batting technique. “I refuse to believe it,” he said, pointing out that every player performs with his particular technique.

Fawad is 32 years old, with most of his years spent waiting for a chance to play in the national side.