Pakistan quick Wahab Riaz explained the rationale behind his decision of taking an indefinite break from Test cricket last year, saying being regularly ignored from the playing XI triggered his call to instead focus solely on the limited-overs versions. 

Before his call, the left-arm speedster played only 27 Tests across nine years since his debut in 2010, the last of which came in October 2018. 

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"I played a Test in October, 2017 and then got another chance after exactly one year against Australia also in October on a flat pitch and was then dropped again for more than a year," PTI quoted Wahab as saying. 

"If I can’t play, it is not for me. So I was focussing on white-ball cricket and felt it would be best if I focussed on T20s and ODIs."

However, Wahab's decision wasn't taken well by the new regime, led by head coach and chief selector, Misbah Ul Haq, as the 35-year-old was subsequently left out of the central contract list after being contentiously removed from the T20I side. 

Wahab's teammate, Mohammad Amir, who went the same route, was treated with similar disdain. 

However, the 35-year-old hasn't officially retired from Tests and can return at the best possible opportunity, as he had said at the time of announcing his break. 

“After reviewing my past couple of years’ performances in red-ball cricket and the upcoming limited-overs cricket, I have decided to take time off from first-class cricket."

“During this period, I will like to focus on 50-over and 20-over cricket, and continue to access my fitness for the longer version of the game. At a stage I feel I can not only return but also perform with the red-ball, I would make myself available," said Wahab in a media release. 

(Inputs from PTI)