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England faced yet another visa complication during their India tour as leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed was prevented from leaving Hirasar Airport in Rajkot due to inadequate paperwork following the team’s return from the UAE after a mid-series break.
The English team, taking advantage of a substantial break between the second and third Tests, traveled to Abu Dhabi for some quality time with their families. However, upon their return, Ahmed encountered difficulties at Hirasar Airport due to lacking a multi-entry visa, having already flown back from the UAE within the last 30 days, as reported by Sportstar on Monday.
Ahmed, holding only a single-entry visa to India, faced restrictions from airport authorities, leading to a delay as the England squad waited until the necessary formalities were resolved later in the afternoon.
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Local authorities intervened, granting Ahmed a two-day visa promptly, and assured that the remaining paperwork would be completed well before the scheduled start of the upcoming match, according to the report.
Despite the hiccup, Ahmed has been a notable performer in the Test series, claiming eight wickets at an average of 36.37 and contributing 70 runs. The spinner’s cameo of 23 at No.3 in the second Test added a valuable dimension to England’s efforts, even though they fell short by 106 runs while chasing a substantial target of 399.
This visa issue follows closely after Shoaib Bashir‘s delayed arrival in India, causing him to miss the first Test in Hyderabad due to the delayed issuance of his visa. The Test series between England and India is currently leveled at 1-1, with the third Test set to commence on Thursday in Rajkot.
–IANS
