India vs England Test series: England’s tour of India is shrouded in controversy as Shoaib Bashir visa delay sparks outrage in the UK, with former cricketer David Lloyd leading the charge for potential tour cancellation. Llyod has compared this issue to the Basil D’Oliveira apartheid row, and has ignited calls for England to bring their team home.
Bashir, on the cusp of his Test debut, finds himself sidelined thanks to the unexplained visa delay. This blatant snub, seemingly fueled by his Pakistani heritage, has struck a deep chord with the English cricketing community. Lloyd, in a fiery column for the Daily Mail, has urged the ECB to consider drastic measures.
His call for the ECB to either delay the series start or even withdraw the team entirely echoes through UK media. The comparison to the 1968 D’Oliveira incident, where England famously boycotted South Africa over apartheid, underscores the seriousness of the situation. However, the irony of the Daily Mail, a publication with a history of advocating for stricter immigration controls in the UK, now asking another country to loosen its own is not lost on many.
Lloyd questions the blatant double standards, highlighting the absence of similar visa hurdles for Indian players in England. He sees the delay as a deliberate attempt to exclude Bashir based on his heritage, a notion further fueled by Usman Khawaja’s similar experience last year.
India vs England: Shoaib Bashir visa row
The simmering frustration stems from the prolonged nature of the issue. With the squad announced in December and ample time for visa processing, Bashir’s predicament appears avoidable and unnecessary. English critics point out that he should not be forced to embark on a last-minute visa chase, jeopardizing his debut and raising questions about India’s commitment to fair play.
Bashir’s personal well-being is also a source of concern. Lloyd worries about the young player’s potential feelings of awkwardness and embarrassment, emphasizing that he has done nothing wrong to deserve such treatment.
The consequences of inaction loom large. Lloyd’s call for a firm stance, whether through delaying the series or potentially boycotting the tour altogether, finds traction as UK media amplifies the ‘demand for justice’.
The Shoaib Bashir visa saga has triggered a firestorm in the UK, casting a dark shadow over the upcoming India vs England series. While the Daily Mail’s calls for action may find traction, the irony of it all leaves observers scratching their heads.
Editors pick
