England spinner Shoaib Bashir has been issued an Indian visa and will travel to the country in the coming days, BBC News reported on Wednesday. However, he will miss the first test.
Bashir, who is of Pakistani heritage, travelled with the squad to Abu Dhabi where England trained before the team arrived in India for the five-test series beginning in Hyderabad tomorrow (Thursday).
“We’re glad the situation has now been resolved,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement.
Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa, and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend, it added.
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“I find it particularly frustrating,” England captain Ben Stokes told the British media. “We announced the 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.”
Meanwhile, Stokes said there was “never a chance” England would boycott the opening match of the series, however, he admitted he had floated the idea of a boycott among the team, but said it was “tongue in cheek”.
“As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that you do get a bit emotional,” Stokes said.