- Tourists hand debut to left-armer Tom Hartley for first Test
- Ben Stokes still disgruntled by treatment of Shoaib Bashir
Tom Hartley will make his Test debut against India on Thursday as part of a spin-heavy England team that features just one seamer in Mark Wood. Shoaib Bashir’s visa application was finally approved on Wednesday afternoon but, given it involved a return to the UK, too late for the off-spinner to feature in the series opener.
“We’re glad the situation has now been resolved,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said. “Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa, and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend.” A spokesperson for the Indian Foreign Office said: “The visa has been issued by London. There are rules and regulations governing the issuance of an Indian visa. The same were being applied in this case.” However, the off-spinner misses the first Test.
Written by Ali Martin in Hyderabad
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/24/england-india-three-spinners-tom-hartley-debut-visa-row-shoaib-bashir-cricket under the title “England gamble on three spinners as Bashir’s India visa is approved at last”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
