Mohammad Yousuf will captain Pakistan in New Zealand after Younis Khan asked for a break from international cricket for the tour, the PCB said on Wednesday.

“That is why the board has decided to appoint Yousuf as captain and wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal as vice-captain for the test tour,” a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said.

Pakistan start the first Test in New Zealand on November 24.

The change in captaincy comes after Pakistan lost a one-day series to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi this week amid growing criticism of Younis’s poor batting form and local media reports suggesting he had lost the confidence of his team mates.

He survived a revolt after the Champions Trophy in October when a group of senior players complained to board chairman Ejaz Butt about his attitude towards them. But the board rejected their demands and would not accept Younis’s resignation, asking him to continue as captain until the next World Cup in 2011.

However, on Wednesday Butt told the Geo Super television channel: “Younis has taken the correct decision at this time

to take a break from international cricket.

“The decision to appoint Yousuf as captain for the New Zealand series has been taken in the best interests of Pakistan cricket.”

Yousuf, 35, is the most senior player in the team having played 82 Tests and 278 one-day internationals. He rejoined the Pakistan team on the Test tour of Sri Lanka in July-August after having resigned from the rebel Indian Cricket League in which he played for one season.