Explained: Why Visa Delay Will Make England’s Shoaib Bashir Miss 1st Test vs Ind

#INDvsENG | England spinner Shoaib Bashir, who has roots in Pakistan, will miss the first Test owing to a Visa issue

Even before a ball is bowled in the upcoming five-match Test series between England and India, the two nations have found themselves caught in a crossfire, for a reason having no direct connection to cricket. Shoaib Bashir, England's 20-year-old off-spinner who has his roots in Pakistan, was effectively ruled out of the first Test – which will commence in Hyderabad on 25 January – owing to a delay in issuance of Visa, triggering frustration in the English camp.

Here’s everything you need to know about the incident:

Who Is Shoaib Bashir?

Shoaib Bashir is a 20-year-old off-spinner, who received his maiden call-up for the England senior team six weeks ago, when the Three Lions announced their squad for the Test series against India.

Albeit he was born in Chertsey, a town in England’s Surrey county, Bashir has his roots in Pakistan. Having played age-level cricket for Guildford and Surrey, Bashir was awarded his first professional contract by Somerset in October 2022. Since then, he has played six first-class matches, along with seven List A and five T20 games for Somerset.

Bashir travelled with the England squad to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Ben Stokes’ team had a ten-day preparatory camp for the India series, till Sunday (21 January). He was supposed to arrive in India alongside his teammates on Monday (22 January), but owing to Visa complications, he had to stay back in the UAE, before eventually flying back to London, in a bid to resolve the issue.

What Led to the Visa Complications?

Although any specific reason has not been officially mentioned, the English authorities have hinted at Shoaib Bashir’s Pakistani heritage as the major catalyst in his Visa complications.

Speaking about the incident, a spokesperson of the United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “We have previously raised the issues British citizens with Pakistani heritage have experienced. We've raised the issues about their experience of applying for Visas with the Indian High Commissioner in London.”

So, Are Players With Pakistani Roots Not Being Issued Visas?

They are, of course, as we saw in last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, where the entire Pakistani team had arrived in India for the competition. However, the Visa application and issuance procedure for an individual having roots in Pakistan alters from that of anyone not of Pakistan origin, with the former usually requiring more time than the latter.

At the World Cup, the Pakistani players were issued Visas less than two weeks before the start of the competition. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Umar Farooq called it an “extraordinary delay,” whilst the board had also lodged a written complaint to the tournament’s governing body.

Earlier in February 2023, when the Australian team toured India, batter Usman Khawaja ran into similar complications. Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan’s Islamabad, was not issued a Visa in time to board the flight his teammates were on, and his arrival was delayed by a day.

What Has Been Said About Bashir’s Visa Trouble?

Speaking to the media ahead of the first Test, which will be held in Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, England skipper Ben Stokes did not hold back in expressing his “frustration” with the Visa complications.

We announced that 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. I find it frustrating that we have picked a player and he's not with us because of visa issues. Especially for a young lad. I'm devastated for him.

Ben Stokes

When the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma was asked about the incident on Wednesday’s (24 January) press conference, he echoed similar feelings, but also highlighted his helplessness in this issue.

I feel for him. He's coming here with the England setup for the first time. It's not easy for anyone. But unfortunately, I don't sit in the visa office to give more details on that. I hope he can make it here quickly, enjoy our country and play some cricket as well.

Rohit Sharma

What Happens Next?

Shoaib Bashir's Visa was eventually issued today, by the High Commission of India in London. However, the delay led to him being unavailable for the first Test, with Stokes commenting: "With Bash unfortunately not able to be here, it does rule him out for this game."

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who stated they were "glad" to have the issue resolved, confirmed Bashir will be travelling to India this weekend.