Young England spinner Shoaib Bashir overcomes visa hurdles ahead of Test series against India

England’s young spinner Shoaib Bashir has overcome visa hurdles and is all set to join the team in India after initially facing a refusal from New Delhi. The England Cricket Board confirmed the positive development on Wednesday, expressing relief that the situation has been resolved.

The issue gained attention when, in December, the England cricket team announced its squad for the upcoming five-match Test series in India, providing ample time for visa processing. However, Shoaib Bashir, with Pakistani heritage, encountered initial visa approval challenges, rendering him unavailable for the first test scheduled to start on January 25 in Hyderabad.

With the visa now granted, Shoaib Bashir is expected to join the team in time for the second Test in Visakhapatnam, presenting an opportunity for his England Test debut.  The delay in obtaining an Indian visa for the young off-spinner had become a significant concern leading up to the first Test. England’s captain, Ben Stokes, expressed his frustration over the turn of events, emphasising the impact it had on Bashir’s inclusion in the squad.

Can Shoaib Bashir make an impact?

A spokesperson from the British government also called for fair treatment of the young cricketer. Shoaib Bashir, a 20-year-old cricketer of Pakistani origin, currently plays for Somerset in the English county. The prolonged wait for an Indian visa forced him to return home from the team’s training base in Abu Dhabi.

Stokes, in a pre-match press conference, expressed his disappointment, stating, “I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this.” He had earlier suggested that the team delay flying to India until Bashir’s visa situation was resolved, although acknowledging the complexity of such a decision. Now, with the visa issues resolved, Shoaib Bashir has the chance to contribute to the England team in the upcoming Test series, marking a positive resolution to the initial challenges he faced.

England playing XI for the 1st Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, (c) Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes (wk), Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed, Mark Wood, and Jack Leach