England call up Jafer Chohan for West Indies ODIs and T20Is despite limited experience
England has made a surprising decision to include 22-year-old leg-spinner Jafer Chohan in their white-ball squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies. Chohan, who has yet to play a List A match or feature in The Hundred, is set to join a squad led by the returning captain, Jos Buttler. This inclusion highlights the selectors’ focus on long-term development, bringing in fresh talent to the international stage.
Jos Buttler to lead revamped squad
The 14-man squad, captained by Jos Buttler, will face the West Indies in three ODIs and five T20Is, starting October 31. The squad features three uncapped players—Jafer Chohan, John Turner, and Dan Mousley. While Mousley and Turner have been named in previous squads without making their debuts, Chohan’s inclusion is particularly noteworthy given his limited exposure to top-tier cricket.
Chohan signed his first professional contract with Yorkshire just last year and has yet to play in England’s premier domestic competitions like List A cricket or The Hundred. He first caught the attention of selectors as a net bowler when he dismissed Joe Root and Ben Duckett during practice for England’s 2022 Pakistan tour.
This selection makes Jafer Chohan the first graduate from the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to be called up to England’s senior squad—a significant milestone for the academy.
Chohan’s 2023 season was affected by injuries, restricting his participation primarily to the T20 Blast. He was not selected for any Hundred squads, raising questions about his level of experience in competitive matches. Despite these challenges, the England selectors are backing his potential as the team gears up for the series in the Caribbean.
With many of England’s multi-format players engaged in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan, the white-ball squad is relatively lean. Two players from the Test squad will join the group after the third Test in Rawalpindi, bringing the squad to a total of 16. However, those deeply involved in the Rawalpindi Test are unlikely to feature against the West Indies.
England’s schedule against the West Indies
The series includes three ODIs and five T20Is across Antigua, Barbados, and St Lucia. England will rely on a mix of seasoned players like Buttler and Adil Rashid and emerging talent like Chohan, in the absence of players such as Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, and Joe Root, who are focused on the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
England’s white-ball squad for the West Indies series
The squad for the ODIs and T20Is includes:
- Jos Buttler (captain)
- Jofra Archer
- Jacob Bethell
- Jafer Chohan
- Sam Curran
- Will Jacks
- Liam Livingstone
- Saqib Mahmood
- Dan Mousley
- Jamie Overton
- Adil Rashid
- Phil Salt
- Reece Topley
- John Turner
The inclusion of new players like Jafer Chohan showcases England’s strategic approach to fostering emerging talent, offering an exciting opportunity for these players to prove their capabilities on the international stage against the West Indies.