Haris Rauf has expressed his desire to return to Pakistan‘s Test side after taking a five-wicket haul in the opening round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I. Playing for Pakistan Television (PTV) against OGDCL at the Diamond Cricket Ground, Rauf finished with figures of 5 for 34 in 13 overs.
The performance was Rauf’s third career five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and his first appearance in the format in nearly three years. He had previously focused on white-ball formats to manage his workload, but his return to the four-day circuit marks a bid for selection in the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka.
“I’m trying to put my name forward for the Sri Lanka series, and Pakistan is also in need [of a fast bowler],” Rauf said. “Let’s see what happens in the future as there are quite a few games to go.”
The PTV versus OGDCL fixture ended in a draw, but it provided a platform for several national stars to return to red-ball cricket following a 3-0 home series loss to England earlier in 2026. Shaheen Shah Afridi took 4 for 61 for KRL in the same round, while Babar Azam—who remains Test captain—is scheduled to represent OGDCL as a guest player starting September 18. This will be Babar’s first domestic first-class match since 2019.
Pakistan currently sits ninth in the World Test Championship standings. The two-Test series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin on November 9 in Rawalpindi, with the second Test starting on November 17 in Lahore.
Rauf’s durability over the remaining rounds of the President’s Trophy will be monitored by selectors. While his Test experience is limited to a single appearance in late 2022, his recent domestic participation suggests a shift in priority toward the longest format as Pakistan looks to bolster its pace attack.
