Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan says he is extremely nervous about his comeback against South Africa on Friday after 30 months on the international sidelines.

"Right now I feel the same way that I felt when I was preparing to play my first match for Pakistan -- nervous and under pressure," the former Pakistan captain told Reuters on Wednesday following his recall for the first Test in Lahore.

"It is never easy making a comeback to international cricket after a long lay-off. Your credibility and reputation is on line and there are high expectations."

Moin, 32, was sacked as captain and player after a disappointing tour of New Zealand in March 2001 after playing 63 Tests and 190 one-dayers.

Since than the selectors have preferred Rashid Latif over him but Latif pulled out of the Test series against South Africa last week.

"I have played regular domestic cricket and have trained hard. This should help me. But it is not going to be an easy comeback against South Africa," Moin said.

Moin said he had never given up hope of playing for Pakistan again despite being ignored completely by the selectors.

"In Pakistan there have been numerous comebacks. Rashid (Latif) was selected after nearly three years. So I never gave up and kept on hoping for the best. It helped me think positively and constructively," he said.

Moin is one of the nine changes in the injury-hit Pakistan Test squad for the first Test from the side that played against Bangladesh in Multan in September.

Khan, who is the only survivor of the 1992 World Cup-winning team in the present Pakistan side after the injury to Inzamam-ul-Haq, led Pakistan in 13 Tests and 34 one-dayers.