Naveen-ul-Haq returns to Afghanistan's T20I squad against India after two shoulder operations

Naveen-ul-Haq has been named in Afghanistan's T20I squad for the three-match series against India, ending an absence of almost two years that began with a stress fracture in his right shoulder

The fast bowler last played a T20I on 14 December 2024, against Zimbabwe. He is one of 15 players picked for a series that begins at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, with the second and third matches on 15 and 17 September.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said his recall "provides an important boost to the pace attack, giving Afghanistan a strong combination of pace, experience and variety".

The injury cost him Afghanistan's T20I series against West Indies and a place at this year's T20 World Cup, for which he was replaced in the squad.

Two operations and a long recovery

Naveen had surgery in England for the stress fracture, and then a second procedure when the shoulder needed more work.

The rehabilitation was done in the United Kingdom as well, away from the squad and from home.

"It is lonely. It's a very tough time for a person," he told the ICC of the rehabilitation. "The stress fracture healed itself within eight to ten weeks. But I had a second surgery for labrum repair."

The labrum repair left him sleeping upright for six weeks, unable to lie flat while the joint settled.

Watching the World Cup from the outside

Afghanistan's campaign at this year's tournament passed without him, and he has been open about how that sat with him.

"I had the feeling that if I was there for the team, maybe I could have done something different," he said.

It was a conspicuous absence. At the 2024 T20 World Cup Naveen took 13 wickets at 12.30 as Afghanistan reached the semi-finals for the first time.

What he brings back to the attack

Naveen has taken 67 wickets in 48 T20Is at 18.73, with a best of 4-20.

He joins a seam group of Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Azmatullah Omarzai, alongside a spin department of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nangyal Kharoti and Mohammad Nabi.

Ijaz Ahmadzai, Shahidullah Kamal and Fareed Ahmad Malik were named as reserves for the tour.

He retired from one-day cricket in 2023, after the World Cup in India, with injury management given as the reason. T20 is the only international format he now plays.

A new captain's first assignment

The series is also the first with Ibrahim Zadran as Afghanistan's full-time T20I captain, a role he takes over from Rashid Khan.

Gulbadin Naib returns to the squad, and the wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman has been called up for the first time after a strong domestic season.

Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Naseeb Khan said the selectors had "focused on selecting a balanced and well-prepared squad" for the series.

Zadran takes over a side that has just qualified for next year's 50-over World Cup, having beaten Ireland 4-0 in its most recent one-day series.

From teenage debutant to senior bowler

Naveen first played for Afghanistan in 2016, at 17, and a year and a half later captained their under-19 side to the country's first knockout appearance at a youth World Cup.

At 26 he is among the more experienced bowlers in the squad, and he says the enforced break has changed how he thinks about the years he has left.

"We have to play as much cricket as we can, but one day, it's all going to end," he said.

The first T20I begins at 7.30pm IST in Delhi, with the second and third matches at the same ground on 15 and 17 September.

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