"ECB and its players are plain dumb"- Fans react after visa issues arise for England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed ahead of 3rd Test vs India in Rajkot
England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed faced visa issues upon his arrival from Abu Dhabi to Rajkot ahead of the third Test against India. With the teams having more than a week's break after the second Test in Vizag, the English players and their support staff opted to travel to Abu Dhabi to rejuvenate themselves.
The English contingent returned to India on Monday (February 12) to prepare for the third Test, which begins on Thursday. The local authorities at Rajkot Airport found a discrepancy with Rehan Ahmed's visa. He had a single-entry visa, which was used when he came at the start of the series last month.
The authorities stopped him at the airport for a couple of hours before granting him a two-day emergency visa. ECB gave an official statement on the matter on Tuesday morning, which read:
"We were advised, on returning to India, that there was paperwork discrepancy with Rehan Ahmed's visa. The local authorities at Rajkot Airport were supportive, enabling Rehan entry on a temporary visa. The correct visa should be processed and issued in the coming days. He will continue to prepare with the rest of the squad ahead of the third Test."
Fans took note of the development and were disappointed with the ECB. They pointed out that the player or the team manager should have been aware that it was a single-entry visa before leaving the country midway through the series. One fan slammed the ECB and its players with a post on X by writing:
ECB and its Players are plain dumb. Rehan Ahmed was prohibited from re-entering India after England's mid-series break in Abu Dhabi because he only held a single-entry visa! Really! Are people so dumb? He was allowed to enter on a two-day short term visa for now
Here are some other fan reactions on the matter:
Rehan Ahmed played in both Test matches against India in the ongoing series so far
Rehan Ahmed has been part of England's playing XI for both Tests in Hyderabad and Vizag in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. Across four innings, the 19-year-old leg spinner has picked up eight wickets. He also made a couple of useful contributions with the bat in the lower order for his team.
England won the first test by 28 runs in Hyderabad. India returned the favor with a 106-run victory in Vizag. The third Test will begin in Rajkot from February 15.
England squad for the five-match Test series:
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.