Navjot Singh Sidhu

Sidhu made his first-class debut in November 1981 playing for Punjab against Services in Amritsar. Opening the innings, he made 51 before he was run out, as his team won the match by an innings.[10] He was called up to the Indian Test team in November 1983 after he scored a century (122) for the North Zone playing against the touring West Indies team the previous month. He was drafted to the Test team as a replacement to an injured Dilip Vengsarkar for the Third Test in Ahmedabad. He scored 20 runs in 90 minutes before he was booed out of the ground upon dismissal.[11] After another modest score in the final Test in Madras, he was dropped from the team.[12][13]

Sidhu was recalled to the national team only four years later, for the World Cup. Making his One Day International (ODI) debut against Australia in the first of the group stage games, he made a 79-ball 73, an innings that included five sixes and four fours. India went on to lose the match by a run.[14] After the game, Australia's captain Allan Border had remarked: "When the bloke hits the ball, it stays hit."[11] In India's next game, against New Zealand, Sidhu scored a match-winning knock of 75, hitting four sixes and fours each, helping his team record its first win against them in World Cups.[15] Sidhu scored two more successive fifties, against Australia and Zimbabwe (51 and 55 respectively), and in the process, became the first player to record four successive half-centuries on debut in ODIs.[11] He carried his fine form into the Asia Cup the following year helping his team regain the trophy. He scored a half-century in the opening match against hosts Bangladesh before making another in the final (76 off 87 balls), receiving man of the match awards for both performances.[16] He finished the tournament scoring three fifties in four innings aggregating to 179 runs and was named man of the tournament.[17]

Sidhu made his return to the Test side after five years, replacing Mohinder Amarnath, with a century in first innings of the Bangalore Test against New Zealand in November 1988. Batting for 295 minutes, he made 116 in 195 balls, an innings that included four sixes and 12 fours, punishing mostly the spinners, before he followed it up with an unbeaten 43 in the second innings, helping his team win by 172 runs.[18][19][20] His second Test century came in the Fourth Test of India's Caribbean Tour later that season. He made 116 while opening the innings retiring hurt 30 minutes before end of play on day one after suffering from cramp in the legs. Wisden wrote, "Batting securely despite obvious flaws in technique, he reached his century in 324 minutes, off 216 balls, and hit eight fours."[21] The innings was considered one of his best considering that the Sabina Park wicket was among the fastest in the world.[22] He totalled 179 runs at an average of 29.83 for the series.[23]

Touring Pakistan in 1989–90, Sidhu averaged 38.42 in four Tests,[24] with his best performance coming in the Fourth test in Sialkot. He rescued India in their second innings when down 38/4 putting together a century stand with Sachin Tendulkar while making 97. He was named man of the match.[25] Sidhu injured his wrist in the First Test of India's tour of New Zealand later that season, while facing an aggressive spell of fast bowling by Danny Morrison, ruling him out of the series.[26] He had a poor tour of England and Australia averaging 11.20 and 20.40, totalling 56 and 102 runs respectively, both three-Test series.[27] After poor performances at the domestic level, he was omitted from the 16-member side that was selected to tour South Africa starting October 1992. Ajay Jadeja replaced him in the squad.[28]

Sidhu was recalled when England toured India later that season. He made his third Test hundred in the Second Test in Madras, scoring 106 off 273 balls while opening the innings. He struck a partnership with Tendulkar who made 165 taking their team to 560 before declaration. India went on to win the match and the series.[29] Sidhu particularly attacked spinner John Emburey in his innings that included nine fours.[30][31] He aggregated 235 in the series at 58.75.[32] Sidhu was India's best performer in the ODI series that followed, scoring 287 runs at 57.40. He played two match-winning knocks: a 76 in Chandigarh followed by an unbeaten 134 in Gwalior. He received man of the match awards for both performances.[33] The latter innings followed after India were down having lost two wickets with 4 runs on the board. Sidhu put together a 175-run stand with Mohammad Azharuddin for the third wicket.[34] En route to his century, Sidhu passed 2,000 runs in ODIs.[35] After India's series-leveling victory in the final game, Sidhu was given the man of the series award.[36]

His first ODI century came against Pakistan in Sharjah in 1989 while his 134 against England at Gwalior in 1993 was his highest ODI score and the innings which he called his best when he retired in 1999.[37] Sidhu told in an interview that an article criticising his dismal performance changed his cricketing life.[38] After a string of poor performances in 1983, Rajan Bala, a noted cricket columnist, wrote an article on him titled "Sidhu: The Strokeless Wonder" in the Indian Express. It was an epiphany that changed his life and he started taking his cricketing career seriously.[39]

After his improved performance in 1987 World Cup, the same columnist wrote an article titled "Sidhu: From Strokeless Wonder To A Palm-Grove Hitter", applauding his performance.[40]

Sidhu scored over 500 Test runs in a year thrice (1993, 1994 and 1997). His only Test double century came during India's 1997 tour of West Indies. In 1994, he scored 884 ODI runs. Sidhu was the first Indian batsman to score more than 5 centuries in one day international.[41]

Navjot Singh Sidhu on the sets of Sony Max.

Sidhu walked out of India's 1996 tour of England citing differences with captain Mohammad Azharuddin.[42] Following this, he was banished from the team for ten Tests by the BCCI eventually making a return in the 1996–97 tour of West Indies. He scored a double century in the Second Test at Port of Spain, his first in Tests. Coming off 488 balls in 671 minutes, it was one of the slowest in Test history.[43] He reached his century on day two,[44] and after having scored only 94 runs on the third day, reached the double on the morning of day four. En route, he put on a 171-run stand with Rahul Dravid and a 171-run stand with Tendulkar. The match ended in a draw.[45] Barring the 201, Sidhu had an average series and aggregated 276 at 46.00 in six innings.[46]

Sidhu was dropped from the Test side for the series against Pakistan after a poor tour of New Zealand in 1998–99.[47]

He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in December 1999. He played 51 Test matches and over 100 ODIs scoring over 7,000 international runs. He scored 27 First class centuries in an 18-year career.[37]

Known for his tendency to attack spinners, he cracked eight sixes in 124 against Sri Lanka in 1993–94, and four fifties in five innings against the Australians in 1997–98, deliberately singling out Shane Warne.[48]

Some of the nicknames he earned were "Sixer Sidhu" for his prolific batting performances and "Jonty Singh" with respect to his improved fielding in his late career, Jonty Rhodes being the best fielder at that time.[49]

In August 2018, former Indian cricketer turned politician and current Tourism Minister of the Government of Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu was invited to the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. After being attacked over his decision to hug Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, Sidhu claimed that Bajwa had assured him of opening the corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.[87][88]

Subsequently, Government of Pakistan in September 2018, decided to open the Kartarpur corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak for visa-free entry of followers of Sikhism from India to Pakistan.[89] After the corridor opening was confirmed by Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Navjot Singh Sidhu appreciated his cricket friend Imran Khan for taking such a great step.[90]

In late November 2018, Sidhu came under controversy with a photo of Khalistani separatist leader Gopal Singh Chawla, a controversial Khalistani separatist leader accused of having close ties with Hafiz Saeed. Sidhu dismissed those claims and claimed "Thousands of people met me every day in Pakistan and clicked photographs with me. How would I know who Chawla or Cheema is?".[91]

On 15 February 2019, during an appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, Sidhu condemned the recent attack on Indian soldiers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir as "cowardly and dastardly". However, he found himself in a controversy when he went on to ask: "For a handful of people, can you blame the entire nation of Pakistan and can you blame an individual?"[92]

It remains unclear as to who was being referred to. It is believed to be an indirect reference to Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, who Navjot Sidhu has often called "a great friend". The two had played cricket for their respective nations and have known each other since.

The comments drew heavy criticism. BJP leader Giriraj Singh demanded that Sidhu be expelled from the Congress Party.[93]

On 16 February, it was reported that The Kapil Sharma Show had responded by removing Sidhu as presenter and permanent guest, with Archana Puran Singh replacing him.[94]

In 1991 Sidhu was accused of assaulting Gurnam Singh and causing his death.[95] He was arrested by Punjab Police after the incident and had to spend many days lodged in a Patiala jail. It was reported that Sidhu had an accomplice who helped him in the murder of Gurnam Singh; the name of the alleged accomplice was Bhupinder Singh Sandhu. Sidhu denied all charges against him.[96] Sidhu claimed in court that he was innocent and "falsely involved in this case by the complainant party".[95] Jaswinder Singh, nephew of Gurnam Singh, claimed that he was a witness to the crime and was ready to testify in the Supreme Court of India.[97]

In December 2006, Sidhu was found guilty and sentenced to a three-year prison term for culpable homicide following a road rage incident. Following the sentencing, Sidhu resigned as a Member of Parliament and in January 2007 appealed to the Supreme Court.[98] Supreme Court stayed his conviction and sentence allowing him to contest and win the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in February 2007.[99]