England were left frustrated and disappointed on Monday night after the uncapped Shoaib Bashir was prevented from joining the tour of India due to a visa delay.
On a dramatic day which included India superstar Virat Kohli emulating Harry Brook’s withdrawal from the start of the series for personal reasons, 20-year-old Bashir was grounded in Abu Dhabi, where England recently concluded a 10-day training camp.
Although Test coach Brendon McCullum responded diplomatically to the situation, saying ‘everyone is doing what they can,’ the ECB felt compelled to escalate things to Board of Control for Cricket in India and government levels and are privately aggrieved by Bashir’s separation from the 16-strong squad.
The rookie Somerset off-spinner was born in Chertsey, Surrey but is the latest international cricketer to be engulfed in Indian red tape due to his parents’ birthplace of Pakistan.
Bashir’s visa application was filed in the second week of December, hours after England named him in their squad for the five-Test tour, but as was the case with Australia‘s Usman Khawaja 12 months ago, his paperwork was not completed on time.
Shoaib Bashir is unable to join England in India due to visa issues owing to his Pakistani origins
Bashir (pictured in action for Somerset) remains grounded in the United Arab Emirates
Rehan Ahmed, England’s other player of Pakistani heritage, was able to travel as scheduled as he possesses an existing visa issued in line with his selection as a standby player for last autumn’s World Cup on the subcontinent.
Political tension between India and Pakistan – it is 11 years since they have played against each other outside of ICC competition – had implications for Babar Azam’s team ahead of that 2023 tournament as the documentation was only rubber-stamped 48 hours before their departure from Lahore. Nor are Pakistan players permitted to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League.
McCullum insisted Bashir would still be available for the first Test starting in Hyderabad on Thursday – when the Bens, Stokes and Foakes are expected to return from injury and omission respectively as captain and wicketkeeper – despite missing England’s first two training sessions of the tour, highlighting confidence that the situation would be resolved quickly.
The same was applicable Dan Lawrence, en route to central India overnight after being chosen as Brook’s replacement.
England player of the year Brook returned home to Yorkshire at the weekend due to a serious situation involving a loved one and will be absent from international duty indefinitely.
Harry Brook has headed home from England’s tour of India due to personal reasons
‘Obviously our thoughts are with Harry and his family, it’s a tough time,’ McCullum said.
‘It’s a privileged positon to play cricket for a living but some things are more important than that.
‘There’s a chance he may return later in the tour but for now we just want him to be with his family and do his thing.’
Meanwhile, India were on Monday mulling over a replacement for former captain Kohli, who reported to Hyderabad but did not train with his colleagues at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium after informing his successor Rohit Sharma he would be unavailable for the first two Tests of five due to other matters requiring his ‘undivided attention’.
Sussex captain Cheteshwar Pujara and Rajat Patidar, fresh from scoring two hundreds against England Lions this month, were both under consideration as Kohl’s replacement in the home ranks.
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