Visa issues have left batter Usman Khawaja at risk of being stranded in Sydney while his teammates assemble in India for this month’s Test tour.
Key points:
- Usman Khawaja posted to Instagram that he was “stranded” while waiting for a visa to enter India
- Australia’s Test players have been staggering their travel to India
- The first Test in Nagpur is set to start on February 9
Australia’s Test squad took staggered flights to the subcontinent on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of the first Test scheduled to begin in Nagpur on February 9.
AAP understands Khawaja had not been due to fly out until Thursday.
Every member of the 18-man squad has been cleared to enter India bar Pakistan-born Khawaja, who also faced visa challenges when he tried to enter the country in 2011.
On that occasion, Khawaja took to social media to vent his frustration he had not been permitted to enter the country as an Australian because he was not born in Australia.
This time, he took a more relaxed approach on social media, writing: “Me waiting for my Indian Visa like …” alongside a picture of a man on a swing, with the hashtags “stranded”, “dontleaveme”, “standard” and “anytimenow”.
A Cricket Australia official said the governing body was aware of the situation and was hopeful Khawaja would be approved for entry to India imminently.
This month’s tour is set to be Khawaja’s first time playing Test cricket in India, but he has been cleared to play in the country in other formats on numerous occasions.
He toured with the Test team in 2013, represented Rising Pune Supergiant in the IPL in 2016, played for Australia A on an Indian tour in 2018, and toured again with the national ODI team in 2019.
Khawaja’s Big Bash League side the Brisbane Heat are scheduled to play the Sydney Sixers in “The Challenger” final at the SCG on Thursday night.
But a Heat official said it was unlikely Khawaja would participate in the match if he was still in Sydney, with securing a visa to India remaining the player’s top priority.
AAP/ABC
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