Chohan Makes The Grade Thanks To Lambert And Root

Jafer Chohan is grateful England batter Joe Root and Berkshire coach Tom Lambert for helping him achieve his ambition of becoming a professional cricketer after a memorable 2022 season. 

Having started last year uncertain of his future with Berkshire, Chohan ended it with a rookie contract with Yorkshire having been recommended by Root. 

Until the start of the National Counties T20 competition last April Chohan had played only a handful of second team games for Berkshire and thought the strength and depth of Berkshire’s squad might force him to move to another National Counties club. 

But Lambert backed Chohan, whom he had coached at Middlesex’s Academy, by making him a regular in white ball cricket as well as giving him his three-day debut in the National Counties Championship in the crushing victory over Dorset in July. 

Having helped Berkshire to a National Counties Championship and Trophy double, Chohan then impressed Root while he was bowling to the former Test captain in a net session at Loughborough ahead of England’s autumn tour to Pakistan. 

“I was net bowling at Loughborough at some of the England guys before they left for Pakistan. I bowled quite well to Joe. I bowled a few good balls and he said: ‘well bowled’,” Chohan said. 

“He then came up to me and asked for my number to get in contact with the guys at Yorkshire. I was a bit flustered and lost for words for a while.  

“I didn’t actually manage to get my number to Joe so I called a coach at the South Asian Cricket Academy, told him what had happened and asked if he could contact the guys at Yorkshire. 

“I didn’t want to waste the opportunity because it’s not a bad reference to have. 

“Yorkshire got back to me and asked me for a trial for a couple of days. On the second day Ottis Gibson said: OK, we’d like to offer you a contract. 

“It all happened rapidly. I thought the best-case scenario would be that I went for the trial, then I might train with Yorkshire in the new year and then have a trial in the second team and if all went well I might get offered something.” 

Chohan is the latest in a long line of players to graduate from National Counties to the first-class ranks but his progress has been unusually rapid. 

“It’s all happened very quickly. At the start of last season I was wondering whether I would get any games with Berkshire because they have such a strong squad and a lot of players,” he said. 

“But a number of players retired at the end of the 2021 season so there were spots available which was fortunate for me. 

“So I went from thinking about contacting other National Counties sides to having a proper role in the side, starting with the T20 competition which is my strength. 

“It was great to make that step up in level because before that it was just club cricket for me and very little T20 cricket, just your regular red ball stuff. 

“So it was great to play proper T20 cricket at a really good level and then to play in the 50-overs Trophy too. It’s so much closer to the professional level in the thinking and the way it’s played. It’s completely different to club cricket. 

“You learn a lot from getting that exposure and understanding and with Berkshire there is always that expectation of winning. Being in a side that has been successful and having that added pressure means that you have to be on top of your game just to get a bowl. 

“In some games we played four spinners so you know if you bowl a couple of poor over then you won’t bowl again. 

“At the start of last season I didn’t know too much about National Counties cricket but I was impressed by the standard and how seriously it is taken. 

“You do feel like you are in a professional set-up with how everything is run and the quality of players. Each week you are playing against ex-pros or guys who are contracted to first-class counties. 

“When you have teams full of people who are aspiring to become professionals and who have that drive and motivation it really does keep the standards high.” 

Playing for Berkshire also brought Chohan to the attention of the newly-founded SACA through Lambert’s connections and he was selected to play for them in matches against the Second XIs of Surrey, Middlesex, Worcestershire and Glamorgan during a memorable summer. 

“The SACA coach got in touch with Tom Lambert and he recommended me to play for them. Without playing for Berkshire I probably wouldn’t have got noticed for that or put forward. I would have probably still been playing club cricket without anyone noticing me,” Chohan said. 

“I really appreciate the support that Tom has given me. It’s the first time that I have really felt a coach has properly backed me and had my interests at heart. 

“Having that support and someone giving you confidence like that really helps. Before that you don’t really know where you are at. 

“So, I have said to Tom that any game I can play for Berkshire I will play, especially right at the start of the year when it is mainly red ball cricket for Yorkshire. If there isn’t a clash then I would love to come back and play the T20 and 50 overs stuff with Berkshire.” 

Before then Chohan has a pre-season tour to South Africa with Yorkshire to look forward to and the prospect of making his Second XI debut as a contracted player.