The first Test between India and England got underway on Thursday, January 25, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Ahead of the first Test, one of the talking points revolved around young Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir not getting his India visa due to his Pakistani heritage.
The British government urged that India should treat British citizens “fairly” when they apply for visas. While the England team had landed in India on Sunday, January 21, after undergoing an 11-day preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi, Bashir had to return to the UK to complete the necessary paperwork. The England and Wales Cricket Board and the English media blamed India for the visa delay.
However, former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad hit back at England for not adhering to the basic procedures back home and hoping that the visa would be granted while Bashir was in the UAE.
“His visa needed to be stamped in the UK. The ECB sent Shoaib Bashir to the UAE, thinking it would be stamped in a third country. Not following basic procedures, assuming things and then crying foul is an old English way. If anyone, it is the ECB at fault,” Prasad wrote on his official ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) handle.
His visa needed to be stamped in the UK. The ECB sent Shoaib Bashir to the UAE, thinking it would be stamped in a third country.
Not following basic procedures , assuming things and then crying foul is an old English way.
If anyone, it is the ECB at fault. https://t.co/Fw8tG0XsD8
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 24, 2024
Later in the day, Bashir did manage to get his visa which would allow him to link up with his teammates in India and possibly play a part in the next four matches in the series. The ECB informed that the youngster would be arriving in India over the weekend.
“Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa, and is due to travel to join up the team in India this weekend. We’re glad the situation has now been resolved,” the ECB posted on its X handle.