IND vs. ENG: Visa problems caused spinner Shoaib Bashir to arrive in India later than expected.

Since Shoaib Bashir is a native of Pakistan, he was the only member of the team to experience this. It’s also important to note that early this year, there were rumors of Pakistani supporters and media members having trouble obtaining visas so they could travel to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

An important step forward for England before their five-match Test series against India was the team’s arrival in Hyderabad without uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir, just days before the first Test. The 20-year-old’s immigration problems forced him to remain in Abu Dhabi. Prior to the India series, the Test team was already shorthanded when leading batsman Harry Brook withdrew due to personal reasons.

A delay in his papers was the cause of Shoaib Bashir’s visa issues.

Star batsman Virat Kohli’s decision to skip the first two Test matches came as a shock to the Indian team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reports that the New Delhi native took the decision, citing a few personal reasons. Before Kohli returns to participate in the Rajkot Test, the cricket board promised that they will shortly announce his successor for the games.

Bash is expected to join us tomorrow: Brendon McCullum

Speaking on the matter, England’s head coach for Test cricket, Brendon McCullum, stated that he believed Bashir ought to be joining the team shortly and expressed the hope that the Indian government and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will give him the assistance he needs to resolve his visa issues.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Brendon McCullum stated, “Bash will join us hopefully tomorrow. He’s got a couple of issues with his visa coming through, but we’re confident on the back of the help from the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the Indian government that it will sort itself out pretty quickly as well.”

Things happen gradually, don’t they? Everyone is making an effort. We have to go through this process, but we think we’re getting close. We’re hoping to hear today that his visa has been accepted so we can get him started on this series. He also has some support system available to him, so he’s not alone,” he continued.