England are facing more visa woes ahead of the third Test in India, with the availability of leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in doubt.
After the squad took a mini-break in Abu Dhabi, the 19-year-old was denied entry back into India when it was found he only held a single-entrance electronic visa, which he had already used.
The situation was resolved in the short term when he was granted an emergency two-day visa but that will expire before the start of the third Test in Rajkot on Thursday, with the score poised at 1-1.
Ahmed, who will continue to train with England in the meantime, has applied for a multi-entrance visa and there is optimism it will be issued in time.
“We were advised, on returning to India, that there was a paperwork discrepancy with Rehan Ahmed’s visa. The local authorities at Rajkot Airport were supportive, enabling Rehan entry on a temporary visa,” an England spokesperson said.
“The correct visa should be processed and issued in the coming days. He will continue to prepare with the rest of the squad ahead of the third Test.”
The latest visa saga comes after off-spinner Shoaib Bashir missed England’s victory in the first Test in Hyderabad. Due to complications over his Pakistani heritage, Bashir had to return to London from England’s pre-series camp in Abu Dhabi before the situation was eventually resolved.
Visa issues or not, Ahmed’s place in the team could still be in jeopardy. England vice-captain Ollie Pope told BBC Sport “there’s every chance two seamers will be played” to make the most of the wicket in Rajkot.
That means one of Ahmed, Bashir or Tom Hartley would likely miss out as England look to bounce back from losing the second Test.
India, meanwhile, will have to make do without Virat Kohli, who has ruled himself out of the final three tests for personal reasons.
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