From Cricket to Politics: The Journey of Navjot Singh Sidhu

It’s not very often when we get to see a Cricketer getting right up there in the world of politics whilst making a big name for himself in the process but Navjot Singh Sidhu is an exceptional to the same case scenario by a great extent. The Famous former Indian cricketer, also known with different names like “ Jonty Singh”, “ Sixer Sidhu” and “ Sherry Paaji” has seen it all during his cricketing days till his switch to the Political arena the past few years.

Life as a Cricketer

Navjot Singh Sidhu learned all the tricks and tactics in cricket from his dad Bhagwant Singh who has served as the advocate general in the Chandigarh high court earlier. It was during his child hood days , when Sidhu did ask for a motor cycle from his dad and was been acknowledged about the same on the condition that he has to score a first position in his school’s annual athletic sports meet. Unluckily, Sidhu didn’t get success in the first three instances and got to wait for the fourth year to get the condition fulfilled. That was the time when even being from a rich family, he got to earn his first reward and this came as his first and biggest learning at the initial stages of the life.

Sidhu never wanted to become a cricketer and even though his father was adamant to make him one, he often tried to give bribes to his servants to make them hide his acts from his father in the process. Still, he got to surrender in front of his father’s will one day and got along with his “Cricketing Journey” towards the next level.

Earning a spot in the Indian team

Sidhu used to play for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy and the North zone in the Duleep Trophy. Moreover, it was only after his brilliant century whilst playing in the Duleep Trophy, that earned him s pot in the Indian team which was about to start with its tour to the West Indies. Sidhu was unsuccessful in the first two tests of the series and got dropped eventually for his bad performances in four innings that he played.

Getting Back to Where He Belongs

It was after his dismal performance in the tour of West Indies, that one of the Indian express Journo, Rajan Bala, posted an article in the newspaper bashing him big time for his bad performances whilst playing for the Indian team. Although Sidhu didn’t get to know about it, his father went into tears after reading the article and left with great disappointment. Sidhu only came to know later about it and that was when his journey to the top started.

He started waking up at 4 am whilst going for practice and gave his sweat and blood for the next few hours in the process. He was so dedicated to the same that he even called neighborhood kids and his servants to help him in the practice in return of some money whilst making him prepared for the upcoming battles against some of the world’s bets bowlers around. It was finally during the World cup 1987 where Sidhu proved his prowess against the most elite teams around the world whilst hitting 4 consecutive half centuries with a record 29 sixes in the process. Although India did faced defeat in the semi finals but Sidhu has proved his worth for the team in every regards in the process. Whatever happened next went down as a glorious page for this Punjabi Cricketer in the Cricket history books.

Inception into the Television world and Politics

It was after a splendid cricketing career of 18 years, this prolific cricketer hung his boots and bid adieu to the cricket world in the year 1999. Sidhu then turned his ways towards the Cricket commentary and became a famous cricketer in no time due to his famous “ Sidhusim” approach. He also became an integral part of some of the most famous Comedy and reality Tv shows like “Comedy Nights with Kapil” and found his spot in the showbiz world with all the expertise and dedication around.

It was in the year 2004, when Sidhu put his first steps into the Political world whilst contesting election being a BJP member from his hometown Amritsar. Eventually, he won the seat and became a member of the parliament for the party but got to resign from the same seat over his alleged involvement in the infamous “ Gurnam Singh Murder Conspiracy”. Although his involvement couldn’t be proved in front of the court and he was cleared of the allegations whilst re-contesting in election from the same seat and emerging winner one more time.

In 2009 general elections, Sidhu came out victorious on the Amritsar seat with a huge margin of 6858 votes over Congress MP Om Prakash Soni and that’s where his Political career got a fresh kick start. He kept on holding the Amritsar seat till the BJP put their other candidate in place of him in 2014 and that’s when he decided to quit the party eventually. although BJP did try to retain him by offering him a seat in Rajya Sabha, Sidhu resigned from the same in 2016 whilst joining other Political party Congress in 2017.He is currently serving as the Punjab Culture and Tourism Minister under the Amrinder Singh led government in the state.

Controversies during his Political career

The Road rage case in 1988

It was been said that Navjot Singh Sidhu allegedly hit a 65 old year man Gurnam Singh on head during a heated altercation about the parking of a car.Whilst Gurnam Singh died in hospital lately, Sidhu and his friend were given an imprisonment of 3 years over their involvement in the same incident.

Tax Assessment Case in 2018

It was been alleged that the Former Indian cricket star did got a tax due of worth 55 lakhs which were supposed to be paid within the same year by him out of his costumes and tour expenses during the same time. Eventually, the tax department disallowed him with the 30% expenses which were declared by him in the Income tax return.

The “Hug Gate” Saga

Many news dailies have chased Navjot Singh Sidhu with offensive allegations whilst he hugged the Pakistani army General Qamar Javed Bajwa on his visit to Pakistan earlier in 2018.He went there on the occasion of Sikh’s biggest Guru, “Guru Nanak’s 550^th Prakash Utsav” and paid his homage to the famous “ Kartarpur Singh Gurudwara in Pakistan.

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