Ben Stokes comments on Indian airport officials after Rehan Ahmed's VISA issue

England captain Ben Stokes expressed confidence that the visa issues related to spinner Rehan Ahmed would be sorted out sooner rather than later. Ben Stokes anticipated that Ahmed’s visa issues would be resolved before the third Test match against the Indian team.

Rehan Ahmed faced a delay of two hours at Rajkot Airport on Monday, February 12, when he arrived with the team from Abu Dhabi. The 19-year-old was granted an emergency two-day visa, allowing him to join his teammates for training ahead of the upcoming clash.

Earlier reports revealed that Rehan had a single-entry visa, which became an issue as it was his second trip from Abu Dhabi to India within a month. Notably, the England team departed for the UAE immediately after the conclusion of the Test in Vishakapatnam.

Rehan made significant contributions with both bat and ball in the ongoing series against India. The 19-year-old spinner struggled for consistency in the first two Tests, securing eight wickets at an average of 36.37. He picked up six wickets in the recent match in Vizag.

Will Be Sorted Tonight Or Tomorrow – Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes expressed optimism regarding the swift resolution of Rehan Ahmed‘s visa issues. Stokes assured that the matter would not disrupt preparations for the third Test. He also praised the effective handling of the situation at the airport.

“It’s not a concern. The guys who dealt with it at the airport did a really good job, given where we found ourselves. I’m confident that will be sorted tonight or tomorrow,” Stokes said.

This marks the second visa issue during England’s tour, with Shoaib Bashir experiencing similar troubles before Rehan Ahmed. Bashir was stranded in Abu Dhabi and could only enter India after obtaining a visa stamp in the UK. He had to miss the first Test match.

India Is Never A Three-Seamer Option – Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes highlighted that Mark Wood could make more impact alongside James Anderson, despite remaining wicketless in the first Test. Stokes said that the team wants to manage Wood’s workload effectively and utilize his strengths.

“The reasons why we would look at Jimmy and Woody would be I just like to have a point of difference. And India is never a three-seamer option,” Stokes stated.

“Obviously having Woody’s high pace, and if we were to go with two seamers again, it would give a bit more rest to Woody as he was that sole seamer in the first Test. So managing his workload. If we were to go with two seamers, we might be able to get a bit more versatility and use Woody how we want to use him out here and not worry he’s the only seamer.”

The third Test between India and England will kick off on Thursday, February 15, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The visiting team has named their playing XI, with Mark Wood replacing Shoaib Bashir for the upcoming match.

Also read: “Play with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s ego..”- David Lloyd’s message to Ben Stokes and Co