Ben Stokes left ‘frustrated’ ahead of the first Test match against India, and England’s Shoaib Bashir flew home to resolve visa concerns. Before the Test series against India, England cricketer Shoaib Bashir, a 20-year-old British Muslim of Pakistani descent, ran into problems with his visa, which forced him to return to England in order to get them resolved.
The only other tour member with similar issues, Bashir, had a protracted wait to get his visa. After practicing in Abu Dhabi, Bashir went to the United Arab Emirates, while his teammates headed to Hyderabad for the first test.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), whose managing director of operations, Stuart Hooper, stayed with Bashir, made no attempt to settle the issue in the United Arab Emirates. Now, the spinner is back in England, visiting the Indian embassy to obtain the required approval.
Despite the fact that Bashir is unlikely to feature in the opening Test, the issues surrounding his visa on his first international visit have caused frustration for the England team. “I didn’t want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it’s like to be in the England Test team,” captain Ben Stokes said, expressing his sadness. I feel terrible for him, especially since he’s a young boy.”
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Given that Bashir is now without a visa and the squad was revealed in mid-December, Stokes, the captain, found the situation very upsetting. This visa-related setback is not unprecedented; Usman Khawaja and Saqib Mahmood, two Pakistani-born cricket players, have encountered similar difficulties entering India in the past.
India and England’s Test series is set to start on January 25 with the first Test to be held in Hyderabad. The difficulties Bashir is having getting a visa complicate things further and make the build-up to the show disappointing.
