After a delay, local authorities came up with a stop-gap solution for leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed's visa, and England sounded optimistic of the issue being resolved in the coming 24 hours. They play the third Test against India in Rajkot, starting February 15
Weeks after England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir's arrival in India was delayed due to visa trouble, another spinner from their side has faced the same issue. Leg-break bowler Rehan Ahmed was not immediately allowed to leave Rajkot's Hirasar airport on Monday, February 12, 2024 as he had only a single-entry visa, according to multiple reports. (IND Vs ENG 3rd Test Streaming | More Cricket news)
After a delay, local authorities came up with a stop-gap solution for the leggie, and England sounded optimistic of the issue being resolved in the coming 24 hours. All the squad members and support staff reportedly reached the team hotel in Rajkot by Monday evening.
"We were advised, on returning to India, that there was paperwork discrepancy with Rehan Ahmed's visa," the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement on Tuesday morning. "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."
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The England squad had headed off to Abu Dhabi for the weeklong break between the second and third Tests, and arrived in Rajkot on Monday ahead of the upcoming match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, starting February 15.
Ahmed is the second England men's cricket team member of Pakistani heritage to have faced the ordeal. Bashir had earlier been stopped and was forced to head back to England from the team's Abu Dhabi training base after a prolonged wait for a visa. He was later granted a visa and played the second Test in Visakhapatnam, which India won by 106 runs to level the series 1-1.