![Naveen opened up on his conversation with Gambhir [Source: X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1792402198918_NaveenopeneduponhisconversationwithGambhir.jpg?type=hq)
Naveen opened up on his conversation with Gambhir [Source: X]
Naveen-ul-Haq, the Afghan pacer, recently revealed how the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, supported him when he was going through a rough patch due to an injury. Naveen was hoping to make his international comeback after two years in the recently concluded series against India, but disaster struck.
Twenty minutes before the first T20I match, the pacer sustained a shoulder injury, and he was once again put on the sidelines as all his hard work vanished in an instant.
Naveen credits Gautam Gambhir for supporting him during dark times
In an interview with Cricbuzz, Naveen-ul-Haq opened up about his injury and how Gambhir, who had a stint with him during their time at LSG in the IPL, came forward to support.
“After the third T20 against India, I was on the ground sitting alone. I spoke to GG (Gautam Gambhir) Sir about it (injury) after he asked me what had happened and why I didn't play,” he said.
“GG bhai was our coach in Lucknow in the IPL, and to be really honest, it helped me quite a lot to have that 20-25 minutes of chat with him. I opened up to him about my thinking at that point and how it was affecting me, of coming back after nine months and then suddenly getting injured again. That chat helped me to not dwell on my problems and feel sorry for myself.
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Naveen stated that the conversation he had with the Indian coach was about cricket, and how the chat with Gambhir made him realise that he needs to rebuild himself again.
“The conversation was about cricket, and it was a bit about how I was going through this challenging phase. I was a bit down initially when I spoke to him. That chat changed my perspective of how to rebuild again and go again.”
Naveen-ul-Haq's best IPL season came under Gambhir
Naveen has played just two IPL seasons (2023, 2024), and interestingly, his best-ever season came when Gautam Gambhir was the mentor of the side in 2023.
Under Gambhir’s astute guidance, the Afghanistan pacer picked up 11 wickets for LSG in seven innings, with an economy of 7.82. 4/38 vs MI were his best figures that season, as the LSG side made it into the playoffs.
However, once Gambhir left the LSG squad, Naveen’s performances dipped in 2024 as he picked 14 wickets in 10 matches, but the economy rate went to 10.19 runs per over.
