Youhana to have shoulder surgery

Yousuf Youhana: should be able to put his shoulder to the wheel when England arrive © Getty Images

Yousuf Youhana, who missed Pakistan's Test series in the Caribbean, is to undergo surgery on a chronic shoulder problem that has troubled him for a couple of years. Youhana had withdrawn from the Pakistan squad after the one-day series to fly home and attend to his ailing father, but tests done on the sore joint revealed the need for surgery.

"I underwent MRI and ultrasound tests last week and they showed ruptures in muscle tissues in the shoulder," said Youhana, speaking to Reuters. "It has been bothering me for two years now and of late it has become difficult to hold the bat properly. I am now looking for permanent treatment."

Youhana has been one of Pakistan's most consistent performers in recent times, scoring brilliant hundreds in Australia and India before missing out on the two Tests in the West Indies. In his absence, the team managed a 1-1 draw, with Inzamam-ul-Haq inspiring a 136-run victory in Jamaica. The players now have a three-and-a-half month break before England arrive for three Tests and five ODIs starting in October.