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England are without spinner Shoaib Bashir as they began training for their five-match Test series in India on Monday. The first Test starts on Thursday in Hyderabad and Bashir, a surprise inclusion in the England squad, is stuck in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the team was training before flying to India, due to issues with his visa, according to reports.
Head coach Brendon McCullum, however, stated that he expects Bashir to be available for the first Test. The former New Zealand captain said that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has escalated the issue and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is helping out in the matter.
“Bash will join us hopefully tomorrow as well,” McCullum is quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. “He’s got a couple of issues with his visa coming through. We’re confident on the back of the help from the BCCI and the Indian government that will sort itself out pretty quickly as well. Things take time, don’t they? Everyone is doing what they can. It’s a process we need to go through. We’re pretty confident that we’re close. The time that Bash had with the squad over in Abu Dhabi, where he fitted in seamlessly, will serve him greatly.
Basheer is accompanied by Stuart Hooper, who recently joined the ECB as their new managing director of cricket operations. “We’ve also got a little bit of support out there for him so he’s not on his own. We’re hoping the news will come through today that his visa has been approved, then we’ll get him to sink his teeth into this series.”
Basheer is expected to play a role for England in the five-match Test series and would be making his international debut if he plays in the series. The first match will be played from Janu 25 to 29 in Hyderabad after which Visakhapatnam will host the second Test from February 2 to 6. The tour then moves to Rajkot for the third Test from February 15 to 19 after which Ranchi hosts the fourth Test from Febryary 23 to 27. The series with a Test in Dharamsala from March 7 to 11.
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