IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma feels sympathy for Shoaib Bashir over visa issues

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India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday (January 24) expressed empathy for young England cricketer Shoaib Bashir, who faced delays in arriving in India due to visa complications.

Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, encountered challenges in getting his visa application approved. Consequently, he had to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to address the issue, leading to his exclusion from the first Test scheduled for Thursday (January 25) in Hyderabad.

This isn't the first instance where players with ties to Pakistan have encountered delays in obtaining visas for India. Saqib Mahmood from Lancashire and Australia's opener Usman Khawaja have previously faced similar issues.

England captain, Ben Stokes, expressed his deep disappointment on Tuesday (January 25) for the 20-year-old Shoaib Bashir, describing the situation as "devastating."

Rohit also conveyed his sympathy, acknowledging the challenges Bashir is facing. The India skipper, however, pointed out that he doesn't have specific details about the visa process but hopes Bashir can resolve it swiftly, enjoy his time in India, and participate in cricket activities.

Stokes, frustrated with the circumstances, mentioned his concern about Bashir's initial experience with the England Test team being marred by visa issues. He highlighted the unfortunate precedent set by such incidents, citing Australian opener Usman Khawaja's similar situation in the past.

While Bashir is expected to receive approval from the Indian High Commission in London, Stokes expressed his irritation as the captain, emphasising that the squad announcement was made in mid-December, and yet Bashir is without a visa. Stokes noted that this isn't an isolated case, recalling other cricketers, such as Saqib Mahmood, facing similar challenges in the past during the 2019 'A' series.

Stuart Hooper, the England and Wales Cricket Board's MD (Operations), tried to expedite the visa process during a series in the UAE, but the desired outcome was not achieved.

Stokes voiced his frustration at the situation, emphasizing that it's disheartening to have selected a player who is unable to join the team due to visa issues despite concerted efforts to resolve them.