By Kate Laven

To be the son of a distinguished father is not a novel phenomenon at Surrey.

Nayan Doshi has a different twist to his tale, however, as his ancestry is famously Indian.

Having a famous father has not opened any doors Nayan Doshi

Despite that, his future, he says, lies with England.

The 25-year-old son of Dilip Doshi, a left-arm spinner who took 114 Test wickets for India between 1979 and 1984, is able to recount childhood memories peppered with the names of legends.

"Sir Garfield Sobers was, and still is, one of my dad's best friends from when they played at Nottinghamshire together and he was always around our house.

"I know I could ask Uncle Garry if I needed advice but I don't really even ask my dad for help because the coaches at Surrey have been outstanding," said Nayan, also a slow left-arm bowler, who is playing his first season on the English county circuit.

There are strands of Nayan's story that will sound vaguely familiar to his father. Among them is the need for patience in reaping rewards.

Had Dilip's career not run in parallel to the great Bishen Bedi, he might have played for India before he reached the ripe old age of 32.

Doshi senior was after all good enough to take five wickets in an innings on six occasions in Tests and marked his debut by taking 6-103 against Australia at Madras.

Forward to 2004 and for Bedi, read Saqlain Mushtaq and Ian Salisbury, the former Pakistan and England spinners who have done such a complete job for Surrey in recent years.

Their success meant the club's talent scouts showed no urgency in finding replacements.

Doshi's father served India well during his Test career

But Nayan was spotted in the nets while playing for Ealing CC in 2003 and after trials was given a year's contract.

His big chance arrived this summer after both Saqlain and Salisbury were injured.

"I've done reasonably well but there is plenty I can improve on in my bowling and fielding. I have learned a lot about cricket and the professional game and really enjoyed bowling at good players."

Doshi was born in Nottingham and brought up in London, where his father had set up business importing luxury goods, earth-moving equipment, fashions and steel.

He started playing cricket for Brondesbury at the age of seven, bowling left-arm spin because that was what his dad did.

For three winters, he played first-class cricket for Saurashtra in the western India state of Gujarat, where his father came from and although this helped him develop flight, turn and an attacking style, it did not fast track his English career.

"Having a famous father has not opened any doors," he said.

"He's pretty cool but he has not put any pressure on me. We have never talked about the possibility of me playing for England though he would be very proud. He loves England.

"It is every young cricketers dream to play for their country but I'm trying to take every game as it comes.

"I've not played enough cricket to know whether I'm good enough yet but I hope so. For a spinner I'm still quite young so I have time on my side."