India captain speaks on Shoaib Bashir as England star to overlook India first Test

India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed sympathy for England spinner Shoaib Bashir after he was refused entry to the nation. The 20-year-old, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, has been pressured to fly again to London from Abu Dhabi to resolve points over his visa.

It means the Somerset spinner will miss the primary Test beginning on Thursday in Hyderabad. Bashir reportedly now has to current his passport to embassy officers when he returns to England, with the view to flying again to India subsequent week.

In his pre-match press convention, Sharma mentioned he was unaware of what the issue was. But he additionally supplied assist to the uncapped participant, saying he hoped the issue might quickly be resolved.

“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well,” mentioned Sharma. “It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”

England captain Ben Stokes has already voiced his frustration, with the vacationers now denied one in every of their spin choices on a wicket set to be dominated by the gradual bowlers. And he additionally sympathised with Bashir over what has proved a harrowing first expertise of worldwide cricket.

“I’m devastated for him,” mentioned the all-rounder. “As captain I find it particularly frustrating that we have picked a player and he’s not with us because of visa issues.

“We introduced that squad in mid‑December, and now Bash finds himself with no visa to get right here. I didn’t need the sort of state of affairs to be his first expertise of what it’s prefer to be within the England Test staff. I really feel for him. But he’s not the primary cricketer to undergo this; I’ve performed with lots of people who’ve had the identical points.”

Indeed, Australian opener Usman Khawaja beforehand skilled issues getting into India. And forward of the ODI World Cup final 12 months, the Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council attributable to delays over visas for his or her squad.

Bashir was a shock call-up to the England squad in December, having made simply six senior red-ball appearances, taking 10 wickets at a mean of 67. But he impressed on an England Lions coaching camp within the United Arab Emirates, with managing director Rob Key saying his choice signified a part of a long-term growth plan.