The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed that uncapped off-spinner Shoaib Bashir acquired his visa to tour India for the five-match Test collection is ready to affix the English squad quickly. However, owing to the delay in checking out his visa points, the 16-year-old promising spinner is all however sure to take a seat the opening Test in Hyderabad on Thursday.
The ECB launched a press release on Wednesday, confirming that Bashir’s visa points have been sorted and he’ll hyperlink up with the workforce in India later within the week.
“Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend. We’re glad the situation has now been resolved,” a press release from ECB learn.
Shoaib Bashir has now acquired his visa, and is because of journey to affix up with the workforce in India this weekend.
We’re glad the scenario has now been resolved.#INDvENG | #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/vTHdChIOIi— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 24, 2024
However, earlier within the day, England Test captain Ben Stokes revealed that he had proposed that the nationwide workforce mustn’t fly to India so long as the visa-related problems with uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir are resolved, including, nevertheless, that the concept wasn’t carried ahead.
Bashir, a rising spinner of Pakistani origin, was initially a part of England’s 16-man red-ball squad for the five-match collection versus India. However, he needed to fly again to London owing to points surrounding his visa clearance.
Bashir’s scenario got here to mild throughout England’s preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi. The Somerset off-spinner did not obtain his visa, rendering him incapable of travelling with the remainder of the squad.
“When I first found the news out in Abu Dhabi, I did say we shouldn’t fly until Bash gets his visa. But that was a little bit tongue-in-cheek. I know it’s a way bigger thing than doing that. That was probably just emotions around the whole thing. I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this,” Stokes stated.
“As a leader, as a captain, when one of your teammates is affected by something like that, you get a bit emotional. I know he’s back in London and a lot of people are jumping through hoops to try and get this through quicker. Hopefully, we’re gonna see him here over the weekend. There was never a [realistic] chance that we were ever not going to travel around this but Bash knows he’s had our full support,” the ace all-rounder added.
Coming in help of the uncapped English spinner throughout a pre-match press convention on Wednesday, India skipper Rohit Sharma stated, “I feel for him, honestly. Unfortunately, I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that, but hopefully, he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and play some cricket as well.”
As the visa-related problems with the uncapped Englishman unfolded, a spokesperson for the British authorities stated that India ought to deal with British residents pretty.
“The specifics of this case are a matter for Shoaib Bashir and the Indian Government. But we absolutely expect India to treat British citizens fairly at all times in its visa process. We have previously raised the issues British citizens with Pakistani heritage experience applying for visas with the Indian High Commission in London,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Stokes, earlier, stated he was hopeful that Bashir would ultimately be cleared to affix the red-ball squad.
“Hopefully, we are going to see him back in India over the weekend. My feelings towards it haven’t changed. It’s obviously a frustrating situation – more importantly, for him. We announced our squad mid-December. It’s now January 24 and he still doesn’t have the visa,” Stokes stated.Â
