Noman underwent laparoscopic appendectomy in the morning, a surgery deemed to be successful. The PCB said he was stable and doing well, and expected to be discharged in the afternoon.
As such, Pakistan lined up in the first Test without a specialist spinner, with Agha Salman taking up offspin duties. While the PCB made no suggestion Noman was unfit at the time, Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez said after the Test ended in defeat that he had a finger injury that prevented him from fielding and batting, and thus could not play.
Those absences were partly why Pakistan went in with two fast bowling debutants in Aamer Jamal and Shahzad. They have also Mir Hamza, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim Jnr among their ranks.
The second Test begins on December 26 at the MCG.