Rehan Ahmed questioned at Rajkot Airport for incorrect visa: Report
Rehan Ahmed questioned at Rajkot Airport for incorrect visa: Report
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England cricketer Rehan Ahmed was questioned on arrival in Rajkot for the third Test against India for holding an incorrect visa, said a report. The immigration authorities questioned the leg spinner’s single-entry visa.
As per rules, a person holding a single-entry visa can only enter the country once during the period of the visa. As such, a person is not allowed to exit and re-enter the country as was the case with Ahmed and his England teammates who flew to Abu Dhabi after the second Test. At the conclusion of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, with the series locked at 1-1, England took a break before the third match in Rajkot starting Thursday.
“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 Hindustan Times.
It is reportedly the first instance of an international flight landing directly in Rajkot. To accommodate the England cricket team and their chartered flight, a temporary immigration counter was set up with officials from Jamnagar overseeing the process. Rehan was the only individual from the 31-member England contingent who did not have the right visa.
Earlier, England spinner Shoaib Bashir had visa issues in entering India. After England’s camp in the UAE, before the series, Bashir had to return to UK and get his visa process finalised so he could join his teammates in India. Bashir, born and raised in Surrey, but of Pakistani heritage, joined the England squad mid-way into the first Test.
In 2023, Rehan had become England’s youngest Test cricketer to take five wickets on Test debut. Ahmed was born in Nottingham to father Naeem, a former fast-bowling all-rounder from Pakistan.
Rehan is one of the three young spinners touring India in the five match Test series. He has impressed alongside left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and off-spinner Bashir – both made their debuts in the series.
Rehan has picked eight wickets in the two Tests yet. The trio will now have to shoulder the spin-burden after Jack Leach was ruled out due to injury.
In the two Test matches, England have employed a three spinners and one seamer approach. Mark Wood held the role in Hyderabad and then James Anderson in Visakhapatnam. Joe Root is the other spin bowling option in the side.
