Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu
Sidhu in 2018
Member of Punjab Legislative Assembly
In office
11 March 2017 – 10 March 2022
Preceded byNavjot Kaur Sidhu
Succeeded byJeevan Jyot Kaur
ConstituencyAmritsar East
President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
In office
18 July 2021 – 9 April 2022
Preceded bySunil Jakhar
Succeeded byAmrinder Singh Raja Warring
Punjab Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs
In office
16 March 2017 – 20 July 2019
Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh
Succeeded byCharanjit Singh Channi
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
25 April 2016 – 18 July 2016
Nominated byPranab Mukherjee
Preceded byAshok Sekhar Ganguly
Succeeded byRoopa Ganguly
ConstituencyNominated (Sports)
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
22 May 2004 – 16 May 2014
Preceded byRaghunandan Lal Bhatia
Succeeded byAmarinder Singh
ConstituencyAmritsar, Punjab
Personal details
Born (1963-10-20) 20 October 1963 (age 61)
Patiala, Punjab, India
Political partyIndian National Congress (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations		Bharatiya Janata Party
(2004–2016)
Aawaaz-e-Punjab
(2016-2017)
SpouseNavjot Kaur Sidhu
Residence26, Yadavmdra Colony, Mall Road, Patiala
EducationH. R. College of Commerce and Economics
Mohindra College
Punjab University
Occupation
  • Politician
  • cricketer
  • media personality
Nickname(s)Sherry, Sixer Sidhu, Jonty Singh
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
RoleBatsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 166)12 November 1983 v West Indies
Last Test6 January 1999 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 61)9 October 1987 v Australia
Last ODI20 September 1998 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1981–2000Punjab
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 51 136 157 205
Runs scored 3,202 4,413 9,571 7,186
Batting average 42.13 37.08 44.31 41.77
100s/50s 9/15 6/33 27/50 10/55
Top score 201 134* 286 139
Catches/stumpings 9/– 20/– 50/– 31/–
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  India
ACC Asia Cup
Winner 1988 Bangladesh
Winner 1990-91 India
Winner 1995 United Arab Emirates
Runner-up 1997 Sri Lanka
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 1 January 2009
Criminal information
Criminal statusReleased
Conviction(s)2022
Criminal chargeVoluntarily Causing Hurt (Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code)
Penalty1 Year (Rigorous Imprisonment)
Capture status
Released
Details
Victims1
Date27 December 1988
Killed1
WeaponsNo
Imprisoned atPatiala Prison

Navjot Singh Sidhu (born 20 October 1963) is an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress, television personality and retired international cricketer. He is the former President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Formerly, he was the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in the state government of State of Punjab.[1][2][3] Sidhu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2004 and contested the general election from Amritsar that year. He won the election and held the seat till 2014 winning also the next election. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 from Punjab before he resigned from the position the same year and quit the party. In 2017, he joined the Indian National Congress and was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Amritsar East. He lost in 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election from Amritsar East Assembly constituency.[4][5]

As a professional cricketer, Sidhu had a career spanning over 19 years after his first-class debut in 1981–82. After losing his place in the national team following his international debut in 1983–84, he returned to score four half-centuries in the 1987 World Cup. Playing mostly as a top-order batter, Sidhu went on to play in 51 Tests and 136 One-Day-Internationals for his country. He came to be known for his six-hitting ability and earned the sobriquet "Sixer Sidhu".[6] He was part of the Indian squads that won the 1988 Asia Cup, the 1990-91 Asia Cup and the 1995 Asia Cup and semi finalists in the 1987 Cricket World Cup and 1996 Cricket World Cup.

After retirement, he turned to commentary and television, most notably as a judge of comedy shows, and as a permanent guest in Comedy Nights with Kapil (2013–2015) and later The Kapil Sharma Show (2016–2019). He was a contestant in the reality television show Bigg Boss (2012) and was seen in the show Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa.

In 1988, Sidhu was involved in road rage incident of assault and causing the death of a man. In May 2022, the Supreme Court of India convicted him of voluntarily causing hurt (Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code) and sentenced him to 1 year rigorous imprisonment.[7] He was released after serving nearly 10 months of his sentence at Patiala Jail.[8]

  1. ^ "Punjab: Navjot Singh Sidhu to take charge of Local Government, Tourism & Cultural Affairs Ministry". The Indian Express. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hindu14Jul2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference ET14Jul2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mint2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Congress Punjab Chief Navjot Sidhu Loses His Seat. 5 Facts". NDTV. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  6. ^ Vasu, Anand (3 December 1999). "Navjot Sidhu: From 'Sid who?' to 'Sixer Sidhu!'". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tribune SC verdict was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (1 April 2023). "Congress leader Navjot Sidhu released from Patiala jail, slams Centre". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 April 2023. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)