Who said what - top 5 reactions to Shoaib Bashir visa controversy ft. Rohit Sharma
Young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir had an anti-climatic build-up to what could have been his potential Test debut for England against India. He couldn't travel with the rest of his squad due to visa issues.
The 20-year-old was part of England's training camp in the UAE but had to return to the UK to complete the paperwork for his visa, while the rest of the England team arrived at the Indian shores.
The delay in the visa for Shoaib Bashir has attracted a lot of criticism, especially from the Western media, about India's policies for those having Pakistani lineage.
Here's what a few current and former cricketers had to say about the controversy:
#5 Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra felt bad for Shoaib Bashir and hoped that the young spinner could come to India soon and make his Test debut. Here's what the former opener had to say in a video on his YouTube channel:
"Hoping that he (Bashir) gets his visa soon. The poor boy is stuck in the UAE. He is a young spinner."
However, Chopra also took a cheeky dig at the English media for having a go at the visa rules laid down by the Indian government. Here's what he wrote on X:
"English cricket has a habit of invoking the ‘spirit’ whenever they are on the wrong side of the law."
The ECB declared on Wednesday that Bashir had received his visa and would be soon traveling to India for the Test series.
#4 Venkatesh Prasad
Former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad has made a reputation for himself as someone who is blunt about his views on social media. He took to X and quoted a report from the Telegraph, claiming that it was the ECB's lapse that cost Shoaib Bashir's visa to not arrive on time.
Here's what Prasad wrote:
"His visa needed to be stamped in the UK. The ECB sent Shoaib Bashir to the UAE, thinking it would be stamped in a third country. Not following basic procedures , assuming things and then crying foul is an old English way. If anyone, it is the ECB at fault."
Prasad also claimed that it was a habit of the English media to have a go at whatever didn't work in their favor.
#3 Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was livid with the way Shoaib Bashir's situation was handled. He couldn't believe that despite the squad being announced in early December, the visa issue wasn't sorted.
Here's what Vaughan had to say on 'The Vaughany & Tuffers cricket podcast' for The Telegraph:
"I think it’s outrageous, I honestly do. The squad was announced on December 11. This is a young guy who’s been picked for his country for the first time. He bowls well in Abu Dhabi, and then the day the plane’s leaving to go to India he’s told ‘sorry, you can’t get on’. You’ve got this young guy who now has to fly back to the UK to sort it out."
Vaughan believes it would have been tough for the youngster to see his teammates get on the plane to India, while he had to return to the UK.
#2 Ben Stokes
England skipper Ben Stokes expressed his frustration on not having Shoaib Bashir available for the first Test. While there was full support from the team for the young off-spinner, Stokes understood what the 20-year-old might be going through.
Here's what he told reporters before the first Test:
"I find it frustrating that we have picked a player and he's not with us because of visa issues. Especially for a young lad, I'm devastated for him. It's a frustrating situation to be in, but a lot of people have been trying to get it through. Him not being able to be here rules him out."
Stokes also claimed that he had humorously suggested that the England team shouldn't fly from the UAE to India until Bashir got his visa. However, he later clarified that England were always going to travel on time for the marquee series.
#1 Rohit Sharma
Indian captain Rohit Sharma is known to deliver gems of one-liners during his press conference and he had another one unleashed when asked about Shoaib Bashir's visa situation.
Although he realized how tough it must have been for the youngster, Rohit cheekily claimed that he didn't work in the visa office to give a clear idea of what exactly happened. He said:
"I feel for him (Bashir) honestly. This is probably the first time he's coming for the fisrst time with the England set up. It's not easy for anyone. It could be one of our guys who wanted to come to England and has been denied and is not available to get the visa. Unfortunately I dont sit in the visa office to give you more details on that."
With Shoaib Bashir unavailable, England have all the other spin options in their squad playing in the first Test - Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, and Tom Hartley.