Navjot Singh Sidhu is a former Indian cricketer who opened the batting for the Indian National Cricket Team from 1983 to 1999. He was born on 20 October 1963 in Patiala, Punjab. After cricket he became a TV commentator, a television personality and a politician. In 2026 he was part of the Hindi commentary panel for the IPL on Star Sports.
Sidhu was a right-handed opening batsman, known for hitting sixes, especially against spin bowling. This earned him the nickname "Sixer Sidhu". He played domestic cricket for Punjab.
He made his Test debut on 12 November 1983 against West Indies at Ahmedabad. His ODI debut came on 9 October 1987 against Australia in Chennai (then Madras) at the 1987 World Cup, where he scored 73.
In international cricket he scored 3,202 runs in 51 Tests and 4,413 runs in 136 ODIs. He made 9 centuries in Tests and 6 in ODIs. In first-class cricket he scored 9,571 runs in 157 matches at an average of 44.31, with 27 centuries and a best of 286.
Navjot Singh Sidhu Stats
Career Batting Stats (Right-Handed Batsman)
| Format | Matches | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test (1983-99) | 51 | 78 | 2 | 3202 | 201 | 42.13 | 7135 | 44.87 | 9 | 15 |
| ODI (1987-98) | 136 | 127 | 8 | 4413 | 134* | 37.08 | 6329 | 69.72 | 6 | 33 |
Career Bowling Stats (Right-Arm Medium)
| Format | Matches | Balls | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test (1983-99) | 51 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 |
| ODI (1987-98) | 136 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4.50 |
Career Fielding Stats
| Format | Catches |
|---|---|
| Test (1983-99) | 9 |
| ODI (1987-98) | 20 |
| First-class (1981-99) | 50 |
Facts about Navjot Singh Sidhu
Sidhu was born into a Jat Sikh family in Patiala. His father was Sardar Bhagwant Singh.
At the 1987 World Cup, he scored four fifties in a row at the start of his ODI career.
He left the 1996 tour of England midway, citing differences with his captain Mohammad Azharuddin.
He played his last Test in January 1999 against New Zealand and announced his retirement from cricket in December 1999.
He was dropped after his early Tests in 1983-84, but made a strong comeback at the 1987 World Cup.
He began commentary during India's 2001 tour of Sri Lanka. He returned to IPL commentary in 2024 for Star Sports after about a decade away, and was on the IPL 2026 commentary panel.
He appeared in films such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), the Punjabi film Mera Pind (2008) and ABCD 2 (2015).
He was a contestant on Bigg Boss 6 in 2012 and left the show early.
He was a regular on Comedy Nights with Kapil and The Kapil Sharma Show. In June 2025 he returned for the third season of The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix.
Records
• He scored fifties in each of his first four ODI innings, all at the 1987 World Cup.
• His highest Test score was 201 against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1997. He batted for 671 minutes, more than 11 hours, and faced 488 balls. It was his only Test double century.
• His highest ODI score was 134 not out, and his highest first-class score was 286.
Politics and Legal Matters
Sidhu joined the BJP in 2004 and won the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat that year. He won the seat again in a 2007 by-election and in 2009. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April 2016 and resigned in July 2016.
He joined the Congress in January 2017 and was elected MLA from Amritsar East the same year. He served as a minister in the Punjab government from 2017 until he resigned in 2019. In July 2021 he became president of the Punjab Congress, and he stepped down after losing Amritsar East in the 2022 election.
In a 1988 road rage case in Patiala, a 65-year-old man, Gurnam Singh, died after an altercation. On 19 May 2022, the Supreme Court, on review, sentenced Sidhu to one year of rigorous imprisonment for voluntarily causing hurt. He was released from Patiala jail on 1 April 2023.
His wife is Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a doctor and former Punjab MLA.
Personal Details
Navjot Singh Sidhu Date of Birth: 20 October 1963
Navjot Singh Sidhu Place of Birth: Patiala, Punjab
Navjot Singh Sidhu Nickname: Sixer Sidhu
Navjot Singh Sidhu Playing Role: Opening batsman
Navjot Singh Sidhu Batting Style: Right-handed bat
Navjot Singh Sidhu Bowling Style: Right-arm medium
Navjot Singh Sidhu Teams Represented: India, Punjab
Navjot Singh Sidhu Test Debut: 12 November 1983 vs West Indies, Ahmedabad
Navjot Singh Sidhu ODI Debut: 9 October 1987 vs Australia, Chennai
Social Media Profile
Navjot Singh Sidhu Facebook Profile: sherryontopp
Navjot Singh Sidhu Twitter Profile: sherryontopp
Navjot Singh Sidhu Instagram Profile: navjotsinghsidhu
Frequently asked questions
Was Navjot Singh Sidhu a cricketer?
Yes. He was an opening batsman for India from 1983 to 1999, playing 51 Tests and 136 ODIs.
When did Navjot Singh Sidhu make his debut?
He made his Test debut on 12 November 1983 against West Indies at Ahmedabad. His ODI debut was on 9 October 1987 against Australia in Chennai.
Did Navjot Singh Sidhu play in the 1983 World Cup?
No. His first international match was a Test in November 1983, after the World Cup. His first World Cup was in 1987.
How many runs did Navjot Singh Sidhu score in Tests and ODIs?
He scored 3,202 runs in 51 Tests at 42.13 and 4,413 runs in 136 ODIs at 37.08.
How many centuries did Navjot Singh Sidhu score?
He scored 9 Test centuries and 6 ODI centuries.
What is Navjot Singh Sidhu's highest Test score?
His highest Test score was 201 against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1997, an innings of more than 11 hours.
What record did Sidhu set at the 1987 World Cup?
He scored fifties in each of his first four ODI innings, all at the 1987 World Cup.
Why is Navjot Singh Sidhu called Sixer Sidhu?
He was known for hitting sixes, especially against spin bowling, which earned him the nickname "Sixer Sidhu".
When did Navjot Singh Sidhu retire from cricket?
He played his last Test in January 1999 and announced his retirement in December 1999.
Is Navjot Singh Sidhu still a commentator?
Yes. He returned to IPL commentary in 2024 and was on the Star Sports commentary panel for IPL 2026.
