Shoaib Bashir: Ben Stokes 'devastated' as visa issues rule England spinnner out of first Test against India

Ben Stokes is "devastated" that visa complications will prevent Shoaib Bashir from making his England debut this week.

The Somerset spinner, a British Muslim of Pakistani heritage, has had to jet back to England in a bid to sort out the issue.

It means he won't be available for selection when the tourists step on to the field to take on India in their first Test match, which gets underway in Hyderabad on Thursday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

"I didn't want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it's like to be in the England Test team," said Stokes. "I'm devastated for him. As captain I find it particularly frustrating.

"We announced the squad in mid-December and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here. He's not the first cricketer to go through this.

"I have played with a lot of people who have had the same issues. I find it frustrating that we have picked a player and he's not with us because of visa issues.

"It's a frustrating situation to be in but a lot of people have been trying to get it through. It's unfortunate and I'm very frustrated for him. With Bash unfortunately not able to be here, it rules him out of this game."

Bashir, 20, has only played six first class matches, taking 10 wickets at an average of exactly 67.

However, he was called up for an England Lions tour of the United Arab of Emirates in late 2023, and impressed by taking six wickets across two innings against Afghanistan A.

He was then surprisingly named in Stokes' 16-man squad for the India Test series, alongside 19-year old Rehan Ahmed and fellow uncapped spinner Tom Hartley.

With England set to pick a minimum of two slow bowlers for the match in Hyderabad, at least one of that trio is likely to get the nod, but with Bashir returning to England, he is no longer in the running.

The complications initially cropped up last week, and it was hoped they could be sorted while the squad were in Abu Dhabi for a training camp.

However, it is understood he has to return to London with his passport in order to get the correct approval at the Indian Embassy,

He will hopefully be reunited with his team-mates at the weekend, in time for the second Test, which starts on February 2 in Visakhapatnam.

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Cricket fans will not miss a single delivery, boundary or wicket when England begin their five-Test tour in India, starting on Thursday, January 25 in Hyderabad.

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