England spinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of the first Test of England’s tour of India in Hyderabad on January 25 because his visa was not approved in time before the series opener.
Only on the eve of the first Test, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) officially confirmed Bashir's visa approval, saying that he would join the team over the weekend. However, the young spinner lost the opportunity to be included in the playing XI for the first Test.
"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," the ECB said in a statement on January 25.
The controversy surrounding the delay in his visa caught the eye of the British government, causing an unwarranted disturbance in the buildup to the highly anticipated Test series between India and England. The office of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged the visa process delay and called on India to ensure ‘fair treatment’ for ‘British citizens’ in visa applications.
"The specifics of this case are a matter for Shoaib Bashir and the Indian Government," ESPN quoted a spokesperson of the UK Prime Minister's Office as saying.
"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."
HOW DID ENGLAND TEAM REACT?
Notably, Ben Stokes conveyed his frustration regarding Shoaib Bashir's visa delay, expressing sympathy for the young spinner who had aspirations of making his debut in India.
The England captain Stokes expressed his disappointment over the situation, emphasising the challenges of selecting a player unable to join the team due to visa complications.
The ECB initially hoped to address the issue in Abu Dhabi during a pre-series camp but eventually had to send Bashir back to the UK for additional paperwork.
"We announced that squad in mid-December, and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here. I am more frustrated for him. 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. I feel for him," Stokes said.
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