Amid the ongoing England vs. India Test series, another visa-related hurdle has emerged for the English cricket team, this time involving player Rehan Ahmed. Ahmed was stopped at Hirasar Airport on Tuesday, just ahead of the third Test against India, due to a visa issue. However, the situation was quickly resolved, with Ahmed being granted a temporary visa to enter the country. Yet, uncertainties remain regarding his participation in the remaining three Tests.
Rehan has played both matches of the ongoing series, where he has snapped eight wickets at an average of 36.37. Talking about his batting, the right-hand batter has scored 70 runs which include a cameo of 23 at No.3 in the second Test at Visakhapatnam.
The England & Wales Cricket Board issued a statement. "We were advised, on returning to India, that there was a 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, as quoted by Sportskeeda.
With the Test series currently tied at 1-1 after the completion of the first two Tests, the third match is scheduled to take place at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Thursday. Despite the visa hiccup, England remains focused on regaining the lead in the series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has advised England to reprocess Ahmed's visa promptly, ensuring his smooth participation in the series.
"The England team has been advised to process the visa again which will be happening in the next two days. The player was allowed to enter the country with the rest of the team, and he will be appearing in practice on Tuesday," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
This isn't the first time visa issues have affected England's squad during this series. Earlier, young off-spinner Shoaib Basheer arrived late in India due to visa delays, causing him to miss the first Test in Hyderabad. Similarly, seamer Ollie Robinson faced last-minute visa complications before departing for Rajkot from Abu Dhabi.
