Navjot Singh Sidhu (born 20 October 1963) is a former Indian cricketer, television personality and politician. An opening batter known for hitting spinners for six, he played 51 Tests and 136 One Day Internationals between 1983 and 1999. He then became famous for his colourful commentary and as a judge on comedy shows, and served as a Member of Parliament for Amritsar and president of the Punjab Congress.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Navjot Singh Sidhu |
| Born | 20 October 1963, Patiala, Punjab, India |
| Age | 63 |
| Role | Opening batter (right-handed) |
| International career | 1983–1999 |
| Test record | 3,202 runs in 51 matches, 9 centuries |
| ODI record | 4,413 runs in 136 matches, 6 centuries |
| Party | Indian National Congress (since 2017); earlier BJP |
| Education | Yadavindra Public School, Patiala; Mohindra College, Patiala |
| Spouse | Navjot Kaur Sidhu |
| Children | 2 (Rabia and Karan) |
Early Life
Sidhu is the son of Bhagwant Singh Sidhu, a lawyer and cricketer who was Advocate General of Punjab and wanted his son to play for India.
Cricket Career
He made a poor Test debut in 1983, and a newspaper article called him “the strokeless wonder”. He rebuilt his game and returned at the 1987 World Cup with four successive fifties and a string of sixes. His highest Test score was 201 against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1997, an innings of more than eleven hours. In 1996 he walked out of the tour of England after a disagreement with the captain, Mohammad Azharuddin. He retired in December 1999.
Television
As a commentator from 2001 he became known for rapid one-liners nicknamed “Sidhuisms”. He was a judge on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, a permanent guest on Kapil Sharma’s comedy shows and a contestant on Bigg Boss.
Politics
He won Amritsar for the BJP in 2004, in a 2007 by-election and in 2009. He left the party in 2016, joined the Congress in January 2017 and became a minister in Punjab under Amarinder Singh, with whom he soon fell out. He championed the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims and was criticised for embracing Pakistan’s army chief in 2018. Made state party president in July 2021, he lost his own seat, Amritsar East, in 2022.
Road Rage Case
In December 1988 a 65-year-old man died after a roadside quarrel with Sidhu in Patiala. After decades of litigation the Supreme Court sentenced him in May 2022 to one year’s imprisonment. He was released from Patiala jail in April 2023.
Personal Life
His wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a doctor and former legislator, was treated for cancer in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Navjot Singh Sidhu born?
Navjot Singh Sidhu was born on 20 October 1963 in Patiala, Punjab, India and is 63 years old.
What is Navjot Singh Sidhu’s role?
Role: Opening batter (right-handed).
Featured image: Navjot Singh Sidhu (right) at the World Heritage Cuisine Summit, Amritsar, October 2018. Photo by Satdeep Gill, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
