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India National Cricket Team is set to face the Afghanistan National Cricket Team for a three-match Test series in Delhi, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The series is all set to start on September 13. Ahead of the first match of the bilateral series, Star Sports shared a video of Afghanistan's first bowler, Naveen-ul-Haq, through its official social media platforms.
In the video shared by the broadcasters, the fast bowler, Naveen-ul-Haq, shared his thoughts on various topics, including naming the Indian batter against whom he felt more challenged.
Infamous rift between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq
Naveen-ul-Haq is a well-known cricketer among Indian cricket fans because of his stints in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
During one of his IPL seasons, the Afghan pacer found himself in the middle of a controversy against the Indian and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend Virat Kohli. To date, the rift between Haq and Kohli is considered one of the biggest rivalries in the history of the Indian T20 league.
The infamous on-field altercation between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq took place during an IPL 2023 match on May 1, 2023, between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Later, Gautam Gambhir, who was then a part of LSG, also joined the heated conversation to counter Kohli.
Tension escalated first when Haq was batting for the Super Giants, and RCB was trying to defend their low total. On-field sledging, aggressive bowling tactics, and a run-out attempt by Mohammed Siraj, these were all the possible elements that raised the temperature in the middle of the ground.
Virat Kohli vs Naveen-ul-Haq feud came to a conclusion
Later, after the conclusion of the match, things turned worse as Gautam Gambhir dragged himself into the controversy.
During the customary post-match handshake, harsh words were reportedly passed between players, which caused another episode of drama. Gambhir, who was then the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants, could not resist himself from countering Virat Kohli with words.
The feud between Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq, and Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, remains a hot topic among cricket fans. But the rivalry between the two active cricketers came to an end in 2023 during an India vs Afghanistan match.
The feud officially ended during the ODI World Cup match between India and Afghanistan on October 11, 2023, when Kohli and Naveen shared a friendly hug on the field in Delhi.
Naveen-ul-Haq mentions Rohit Sharma as the most challenging batter to bowl
Ahead of another India vs Afghanistan series, when Naveen-ul-Haq was asked to name the Indian batter whom he found toughest to bowl, the fast bowler named the former India captain Rohit Sharma, instead of Virat Kohli.
Neither Rohit Sharma nor Virat Kohli will be available to face Naveen-ul-Haq this time, as both of them have retired from the T20I format. The upcoming series contains only three T20Is. The Indian cricket team will be the favorite to win the series in Delhi.
𝗡𝗢 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗟 & 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗟! 😁
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 12, 2026
Naveen-ul-Haq takes on this unfiltered rapid-fire round, from praising Indian crowds to picking his favourite Indian food! 🫶
Watch the #AFGvIND 1st T20I, TOMORROW 6:30 PM onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV… pic.twitter.com/nfX7ueBNAA
