England spinner Rehan Ahmed faced a brief detention upon arriving in Rajkot from Abu Dhabi with the team for the third Test against India. The matter was eventually resolved by granting the youngster an emergency two-day visa, and the process for obtaining the correct visa was also initiated.
As per initial reports, the spinner possessed a single-entry visa, and as this was his second visit to India from Abu Dhabi within a month, he had to wait at Rajkot airport until the situation was clarified and resolved.
“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,” the ECB said in a statement on Tuesday morning.
After wrapping up the second Test in Vishakapatnam, the England team departed for Abu Dhabi. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with three more matches to be played, starting with the third Test in Rajkot on February 15.
The timely resolution of Rehan Ahmed’s visa matter will be a relief for the visitors, as they cannot afford to lose his services, especially with left-arm spinner Jack Leach already sidelined for the remainder of the tour due to a knee injury.
Consequently, the wrist-spinner becomes the most experienced member of the spin contingent, with three Tests under his belt, while Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir have only played two Tests and one Test, respectively.
Similar to Rehan Ahmed, spinner Shoaib Bashir encountered complications with his visa
Shoaib Bashir, a new addition to the England squad, encountered significant challenges in joining the team for the Test series. The off-spinner, of Pakistani origin, missed the first Test as he had to return to the UK to have his visa stamped.
Upon arriving during the first Test, Bashir received his debut cap in the second Test, where he claimed four wickets, including that of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma.
While Rehan Ahmed shares the same Pakistani heritage as Shoaib Bashir, his initial arrival in India for the Tests encountered no issues, as he already had a valid visa in place. Being part of the England 2023 ODI World Cup squad as a stand-by worked in his favor.
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