Pakistan men's cricket team chief selector Mohammad Wasim has said that left-arm orthodox Mohammad Nawaz is a better option than Imad Wasim.
Nawaz has been at the height of his powers in recent times. The 28-year-old claimed seven wickets in the by-gone three-match ODI series against the West Indies, which Pakistan won by a margin of 3-0.
He has now earned a call-up to the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Sri Lanka.
Speaking on veteran journalist Waheed Khan's YouTube channel, Wasim said that Nawaz had improved massively in terms of his fitness and performance, while Wasim has been faltering in both facets in recent times.
"Imad's performance in the recent past wasn't up to the mark. He also has fitness issues which is why he is suffering," Wasim was quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
"Currently, we have high fitness standards in the team. And, it is visible in the team's performance," he added.
"Looking at his [Nawaz] performance, his fitness and performance are going good currently," said Wasim.
The all-rounder has not played any international cricket since last year's T20 World Cup in the Gulf nation. During this phase, Nawaz has pipped him in the pecking order on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket and in the international games he has played.
The left-arm orthodox will now look to make a mark in the longest format of the game when Babar Azam's team locks horns with Lanka later this month.
The 1st Test will take place in Galle from July 16, while the second will commence in Colombo on July 24.
Pakistan's squad for Sri Lanka Tests:
Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (VC & WK), Shaheen Afridi, Yasir Shah, Azhar Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Sarfaraz Ahmed (WK), Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood