For Test Series, Shoaib Bashir Granted Visa to Travel to India
The spinner of England, Shoaib Bashir, has finally received his visa to travel to India to play the Test series. However, the uncapped spinner will miss the series opener against India starting Thursday in Hyderabad as he is due to travel and is expected to join the team this weekend.
The ECB released a statement saying that “Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend.”
It added, “We’re glad the situation has now been resolved.”
British-born Bashir is of Pakistani heritage. He travelled with the England team to Abu Dhabi for the training camp but was unable to join them in Hyderabad for the series opener following a delay in his visa application. The Somerset off-spinner had to return to London to sort out his visa issues.
Bashir, 20, was a surprise selection for the tour given that he has taken a mere 10 first-class wickets at an expensive average of 67.
But the England management was impressed by his performances for the second-string Lions in the UAE, and they believe his high release point, allied to his ability to gain sharp turns, will make him effective on Indian pitches renowned for assisting spinners.