LAHORE, Nov 16: For the three-Test series against India Pakistan announced three changes to their limited-overs squad on Friday.

The tourists, who have already lost the ODI series 1-3 after losing the Gwalior game on Thursday, have recalled three players for the Test series starting in New Delhi on Nov 22 while axing four after the five-match one-day series ending on Sunday.

Paceman Mohammad Sami, leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and middle-order batsman Faisal Iqbal have been included in the 15-member Test squad while Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Fawad Alam and Rao Iftikhar will return home after the ODI series.

Afridi failed to excel with both bat and ball, scoring just 73 runs in the four ODIs against India while taking only two wickets in these games. Rao, the top wicket-taker (12) in the recently held one-day home series against South Africa, gave dismal performance too against the arch-rivals, claiming just one wicket in the three matches he participated. However, Imran remained a bit unlucky as he did not get any chance in India and same was the case with Fawad who also failed to get any opportunity in the action-packed ODIs.

Sami eventually got the selectors’ nod after demonstrating some fine shows with the leather in the ongoing Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

In the premier first-class competition Sami has been bowling well, having taken 19 wickets for 417 in four games so far.

Though his haul of wickets is less than those of left-arm pacers Mohammad Khalil (27) and Saad Altaf (29), Sami, a 30-Test veteran, has been preferred by the selectors for his international experience.

In the absence of their pace spearhead Mohammad Asif, Pakistan need an experienced fast bowler for the Test series in India to give timely support to Shoaib Akhtar.

Faisal Iqbal, who led Pakistan ‘A’ against Australia ‘A’ in the recently held home series and has scored 191 in four matches of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy at 27.28, got a chance to strengthen the middle-order batting with in-form Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Shoaib Malik.

There is no surprise over Kaneria’s inclusion since he remains Pakistan’s top choice in the spin department, and the keen leg-spinner, having bagged 208 wickets in 48 Tests at 32.83, is naturally expected to play lead role for the tourists on generally spin-friendly Test wickets in India.

Kaneria and left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman are the only two specialist spinners Pakistan will have against India, who have, on the other hand, have included three — Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik.

Test squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Yousuf, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Faisal Iqbal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Rehman.