Shoaib Bashir ruled out of India Test in Hyderabad, flies back home from UAE

England faced a setback in their preparations for the upcoming five-match series against India as emerging spinner Shoaib Bashir has reportedly been ruled out of the first Test. Shoaib Bashir has returned home due to a visa issue, leading to his absence in the first Test.

England has selected four spinners, including Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, and Shoaib Bashir, for the Test series. Bashir earned a spot despite playing only six first-class games. However, Managing Director Robert Key backed him to become a top-tier spinner.

Shoaib Bashir To Miss First Test Due To Visa Issues – Reports

The 20-year-old spinner was unable to join his teammates in Hyderabad for the first Test after a training camp in Abu Dhabi. Bashir is the lone member of the England squad facing a visa delay. He remained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with director Stuart Hooper.

The England and Wales Cricket Board aimed to address the visa issue in the UAE, where Stuart Hooper remained alongside Shoaib Bashir. The young England spinner has now come back to England, aiming to secure the necessary approval from the Indian embassy.

Shoaib Bashir, born in Surrey but with Pakistani heritage, is believed to be the reason for the delay in his visa. His application was submitted with other cricketers on December 11. The spinner is unlikely to be ready for the series opener, even if he arrives in India on time.

I Find It Particularly Frustrating – Ben Stokes

“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. Especially for a young lad, I’m devastated for him,” Stokes said.

“As captain, I find it particularly frustrating. We announced the squad in mid-December and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here. He’s not the first cricketer to go through this. I have played with a lot of people who have had the same issues. I find it frustrating that we have picked a player and he’s not with us because of visa issues. It’s a frustrating situation to be in but a lot of people have been trying to get it through,” he added.

Young England batter Harry Brook had to leave the team due to personal reasons. The ECB hasn’t ruled out Brook’s potential return during the Test series. Dan Lawrence has been named Brook’s replacement for the highly anticipated red-ball series in the Subcontinent.

England Squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood, Dan Lawrence

Also read: Shoaib Bashir Will Be On Top Against Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill – Monty Panesar Warns India