England's skipper, Ben Stokes, emphasized on Wednesday that the young spinner, Rehan Ahmed, handled his visa issue calmly ahead of the third Test against India.

For the upcoming match in Rajkot starting Thursday, England opted for a change, bringing in Mark Wood alongside James Anderson as the second seamer.

Shoaib Bashir stepped down to accommodate Wood, as England decided to alter their strategy of three spinners and one seamer, previously used in the series, which is currently tied 1-1.

The 19-year-old Ahmed, a leg-spinner, faced visa problems when returning to India after the team's break in Abu Dhabi. His single-entry visa expired during the mid-series break in the United Arab Emirates. However, authorities granted him temporary entry while sorting the issue.

Stokes praised Ahmed's composure, saying, "It was a tense situation, but he handled it well. Youth often takes things in stride."

Ahmed's visa trouble adds to a list of cricketers of Pakistani origin facing entry issues in India. Teammate Bashir also had visa troubles earlier in the series.

Stokes emphasized finding solutions rather than placing blame. He noted, "We acted swiftly to resolve the issue instead of assigning blame."

In terms of the team lineup, Wood replaces Bashir, aiming to bolster the bowling attack. Ahmed, England's youngest cricketer across formats, has taken eight wickets in the series so far.

Reflecting on the pitch in Rajkot, Stokes refrained from making predictions, citing England's last Test there in 2016, which ended in a draw. He expressed confidence in the decision to include an extra seamer for better chances of winning.

As Stokes gears up for his 100th Test, he downplayed the milestone, focusing on the contest against India, which he finds appealing for its intensity.

The England XI for the upcoming Test includes Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, and James Anderson.

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