Shoaib Bashir has finally linked up with England in India after visa issues prevented him from joining his team-mates ahead of the first Test
Bashir, a 20-year-old British Muslim of Pakistani heritage, was the only member of England’s touring party to experience a significant delay over his application and remained grounded after a training camp in Abu Dhabi while his team headed to Hyderabad.
The England and Wales Cricket Board had hoped the matter could be resolved in the United Arab Emirates – where its managing director of operations Stuart Hooper remained with Bashir – but a solution was not found, forcing the Somerset off-spinner to travel back to London before the visa was issued.
The ECB stated last week: “We’re glad the situation has now been resolved.”
Bashir missed the first Test but will now come into contention for the second in Vizag from Friday, particularly with senior England spinner Jack Leach bruising his knee during the series opener.
Could England have boycotted the first Test?
England captain Ben Stokes remained visibly disgruntled by Bashir’s treatment as he gave his pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test and revealed he initially suggested the squad should not fly to India without Bashir.
That idea did not last long, though, and he said there was “never a chance” of boycotting the first Test.
“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,” he said.
“I know it’s a way bigger thing, doing that. That was probably just [my] emotions around the whole thing. There was never a chance that we were not going to travel around this but Bash knows he’s had our full support.
“I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this. As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that you do get a bit emotional.”
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