Visa issues: England cricketer of Pakistan origin still stuck in UAE; Test starts on January 25
cricket operations, is staying with Bashir. The ECB, under coach Brendon McCullum's guidance, is urgently liaising with Indian authorities for a solution. They are hopeful; updates may come soon.
Meanwhile, Dan Lawrence has joined the squad, replacing Harry Brook who had to return to the UK for a family emergency. Lawrence's entry into the 16-man squad was confirmed after his stint with the Desert Vipers in the ILT20. Bashir's delay means missing crucial preparation time.
McCullum, however, remains positive about his availability for the first Test. The team's training is set for January 23 morning at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. "Bash will join us hopefully tomorrow as well," ESPNcricinfo quoted McCullum as saying.
"He's got a couple of issues with his visa coming through. We're confident on the back of the help from the BCCI and the Indian government that will sort itself out pretty quickly as well. "Things take time, don't they? Everyone is doing what they can.
It's a process we need to go through. We're pretty confident that we're close. The time that Bash had with the squad over in Abu Dhabi, where he fitted in seamlessly, will serve him greatly," he added.Milestone Alert!
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