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'He Leads From the Front' - Naveen-Ul-Haq Showers Rich Praise on His LSG Skipper KL Rahul

image-lra61q6iNaveen-ul-Haq played under Rahul's captaincy in the 2023 IPL. (AP)

Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq has lauded his Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, KL Rahul, describing him as a 'great leader.' Naveen said he enjoys playing under Rahul's leadership in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and can’t wait for another thrilling season.

In IPL 2023, Naveen participated in eight matches for LSG, securing 11 wickets with an average of 19.91 and an economy rate of 7.82. His impressive performances made the LSG to retain him ahead of the IPL 2024 auction at INR 50 lakh. The right-arm seamer is expected to play a significant role in the new season, especially on the slow pitches of the Ekana Cricket Stadium, where bowlers typically thrive as the pitches get slower.

In an interview with The Times of India, Naveen shared his experience of playing under Rahul's captaincy in IPL 2023, praising the Indian cricketer's leadership qualities:

"He [Rahul] is a great leader. I played under his captaincy last year. He leads from the front. I am excited to play under his captaincy once again. I had a great time playing under his leadership. He is a great human being. He gives players that liberty and motivation. His work ethic is absolutely amazing. I am really happy and it feels good to be part of the team he is leading,”  Naveen-ul-Haq told the Times of India.

It's worth noting that Naveen had previously commended former LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir as well.

As of now, Naveen's participation in the IPL 2024 is not guaranteed as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has chosen not to grant him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for T20 leagues.

Under IPL rules, foreign players need an NOC from their respective boards to participate in the tournament. With IPL 2024 still a few months away, the situation could change between Naveen and ACB by the time the tournament begins.

Besides Naveen, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also hold IPL contracts. Fazalhaq was retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), while Rahman secured a contract from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last week. As the 2024 IPL season kicks off later this year, the fate of these three Afghan players remains uncertain.

Currently in India for Afghanistan’s first-ever bilateral series against India, Naveen had a forgettable night in Mohali. In the first T20I, the Afghan seamer conceded 43 runs in 3.3 overs without taking any wickets. He will aim for a better performance in the second T20I in Indore.