Who is Shoaib Bashir, England cricketer ruled out of first IND vs ENG Test over visa issue?

IND vs ENG Test: In an unexpected turn of events, England’s spinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of the first Test match between India and England due to some visa issues. The uncapped cricketer had to return home after he was denied entry to India for the series over a visa issue.

The incident upset the England side as they were looking forward to starting their Test campaign on January 25 with Surrey-born Bashir. As per media reports, the 20-year-old had some visa issues due to his Pakistani heritage, though nothing of this sort has been confirmed by the Indian authorities involved.

Who is Shoaib Bashir? England cricketer ruled out of first IND vs ENG Test in India over visa issue

Shoaib Bashir is a right-hand batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler from England. He is of Pakistani heritage and was born in 2003 in Surrey and plays cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club.

He made his first-class debut for Somerset against Essex in June 2023. He made his T20 Blast debut for Somerset against Hampshire also in June 2023.

His uncle was a wicket-keeper batsman for Guildford City Cricket Club, who encouraged Bashir to choose cricket as a career.

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Before signing with Somerset in 2022, Bashir played club cricket for Guildford, age-group cricket with Surrey and Middlesex, and Minor Counties cricket for Berkshire. He spent the winter of 2022-2023 playing club cricket in Australia.

In terms of his international career, he played for the England Lions cricket team for the first time in October 2023. In his international debut against Afghanistan B, he took six wickets for 42 runs in 15 overs across both innings.

Bashir has shown exceptional skill as an off-spinner despite his height. He is 6ft 4in tall, which is considered relatively tall for an off-spinner.

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On 11 December 2023, Bashir received his awaited debut call-up to the senior England side, being included in the 16-player squad for the Test tour of India. He was part of the squad during their preparations for the India series in Abu Dhabi but couldn’t join them in India following a delay with his visa application.

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While the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) hoped to count on assistance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to resolve the issue before the series opener, this has not been the case.

Thus, the travelling British media in India reportedon Tuesday (Jan 24)that Bashir had been asked to return to London with his passport to get the correct paperwork at the Indian High Commission.

(With inputs from agencies)