The cricket fraternity and politics have just one thing in common i.e. people’s attention. There are many cricketers in World Cricket who have tried their luck in politics in order to reap the fruit of success. The first cricketer who stepped into politics was Palwankar Baloo. He was a Dalit leader & contested in a by-election from Mumbai Municipality in 1933-34. He further went on to lose the election to a Parsi doctor Homi F Pavri, then. But he didn’t lose hope as he became the candidate of INC against Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, where he once again, lost by a margin of more than 2000 votes. But it all came in 1937 when India didn’t attend Independence. After achieving freedom from British Rule in 1971, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was the first cricketer who turned into a politician. Since then there has been no stopping for Indian Cricketers who time & again tried their luck in politics. Let’s have a look at Cricketers who turned into Politicians.
10 Cricketers who Turned into Politicians
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Gautam Gambhir
When actors turned into politicians are talked about, Gambhir’s name comes first on the list. The former India Captain, Gautam Gambhir joined BJP in March 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha 2019 elections. He was BJP’s East Delhi Candidate & won the election by 695,109 votes, to take the oath as a Member of the Parliament, Lok Sabha. Gambhir’s prowess as a batter is not unknown to the world. He has amassed 10,000 International runs with 20 tons on his name. Gambhir was an integral part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team & has won two IPL titles while leading the KKR franchise. Gambhir has also done some good work on the political front. Currently, he is showcasing his expertise in the commentary box as a part of the commentator’s panel.
2) Navjot Singh Sindhu
Navjot Singh Sidhu is one of the Cricketers who turned into politicians. The former Indian batter & prolific commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu began his political career with BJP in Lok Sabha Elections 2004. He was elected as a Member of the Parliament from the Amritsar constituency, from 2004 to 2014. in April 2016, Sidhu took the oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, however, he resigned from the Office in July 2016.
In January 2017, Sidhu officially joined the Indian National Congress Party & was elected as a Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Amritsar East. He handed the Ministry of Tourism & Local department to the Indian National Congress. In the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections, Sidhu lost the election from the same constituency – Amritsar East, after a row regarding several aspects and schisms within the Punjab Congress. His political career took a drastic turn when he was found guilty in a road rage case & was sentenced to imprisonment. Coming to his cricketing career he has scored 7615 runs with 165 tons & 48 fifties for India.
3) Harbhajan Singh
The prolific former India spinner Harbhajan Singh grabs a place in the list of cricketers turned into politicians. He is a member of Parliament Rajya Sabha from Punjab. Harbhajan was also nominated for the position by the Aam Aadmi Party & went unopposed in March 2022. He tried to make his career in politics but couldn’t achieve success in it.
In his cricketing career, Harbhajan Singh has 400 Test wickets in his account. While in ODIs, the 42-year-old has picked 269 wickets in 236 matches. Singh also has a couple of Test centuries & 9 half centuries in his name. He has represented MI, CSK & KKR in IPL during his career stint. Harbhajan Singh has been one of the best spinners in World Cricket & he has left his mark in the International arena.
4) Mohammad Kaif
When Cricketers turned into politicians are talked about former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif acquired a place in the list. The 41-year-old contested for a seat in the Lok Sabha from Phulpur a constituency in UP but then unfortunately lost the election to a BJP candidate. However, since then he hasn’t featured in political activities & has kickstarted his career as a commentator.
Though Mohammed Kaif couldn’t yield success in politics the former right-hand batter has more than 2500 ODI runs in his kitty with two tons & 17 fifties in his account. Mohammed Kaif is an under U19 World Cup-winning captain who led his team to triumph in the 2000 edition of the World Cup. Now in his second innings, Kaif has made a remarkable mark in the commentary box as he is a part of the star sports broadcast team.
5) Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin is another prolific cricketer who made his mark in the political world. The stylish Hyderabadi batter Mohammad Azharuddin jumped into politics in 2009 when he joined Congress. Azhar won the general elections in 2009 from Moradabad in UP to become an MP. He then made a big jump into Indian Politics by contesting in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from the Moradabad constituency. Apart from the election, Azharuddin has made a great name in World Cricket.
He was an elegant middle-order batter & has led the Indian team in 47 Tests during the 1990s. Azharuddin was a prolific batter & a great captain leading India to being the champions of both the 1990-91 Asia Cup, and the 1995 Asia Cup, along with the semi-finals of the 1996 Cricket World Cup. Azharuddin has played 99 Test matches and 334 One Day Internationals for the Indian national cricket team before his international career came to an end.
6) Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
A former India Captain, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was one of the cricketers who turned into an actor. He was the first cricketer who joined politics & contested polls. Known as one of India’s Greatest Captains, Mansoor Ali Khan contested two Lok Sabha polls but couldn’t succeed in it. What adds to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s greatness is the fact that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and cricket World Cup-winning team captain Kapil Dev campaigned for him. Despite of that Pataudi lost the polls. After these massive defeats, Pataudi chose not to stay in the field of politics & bid adieu to politics.
7) Kriti Azad
The prolific all-rounder Kriti Azad who was a part of the World Cup 1983 Winning Squad represented BJP & won from Bihar’s Darbhanga constituency thrice. In February 2019, Kriti joined the Congress party & was a part of Congress’s Political agendas. Son of former Chief Minister of Bihar, Bhagwat Jha Azad, Kirti Azad was an aggressive right-hand batsman and a quickish off-spinner. He was previously an MLA from Delhi’s Gole Market constituency.
8) Chetan Chauhan
Sunil Gavaskar’s opening partner in Tests, Chetan Chauhan is one of the cricketers who turned into actors. He has been a member of parliament from Amroha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. After Chetan bid adieu to International Cricket in 1981 he moved into politics joining the BJP. He is serving as minister for youth & sports in UP. Chetan is successfully leading in his political career & will look ahead to further rise in the Political Spectrum.
9) Vinod Kambli
Former India Test batter, Vinod Kambli has created a mark in not only the cricketing arena but also the political spectrum. Known for his flamboyant batting style Kambli is the fastest Indian to complete 1000 Tets runs. He has also reached the 200-run mark before Tendulkar scoring 227 runs against Zimbabwe in 1993.
In fact, Kambli has also registered two double tons & two tons in his first eight Test innings. After ending his career in Cricket, Kambli tried his luck in politics. Lok Bharati Party enrolled his name as the vice-president of the party but he lost the Vidhan Sabha elections 2009 from the Vikhroli seat.
10) Manoj Tiwary
Last but not least, Manoj Tiwary is one of the cricketers who turned into actors. Manoj joined the Trinamool Congress party in February 2021, ahead of the State Legislative Assembly Elections. He fought the elections from the Shibpur constituency and won the seat. Manoj is currently the minister of state for the affairs of Sports and youth in West Bengal. Notably, he still plays for Bengal in domestic cricket. The right-hand batter recently hit a ton in the first semi-final of the Ranji Trophy 2022 season, against Madhya Pradesh. He has 9398 First Class runs while 5466 List A runs in his account. Tiwary has represented India in 12 One Day Internationals, scoring a century and a half-century, during his time.
Manoj has also played three T20Is for India & was a part of Delhi Daredevils & KXIP, KKR & Rising Pune Supergiants franchisees in IPL from 2008 to 2018. Manoj has left his mark on both the cricket & political arena.
These are 10 Cricketers who turned into politicians. They have at some point in their career tried luck in Politics. While some of them reaped the fruits of success some have to take a U-Turn after failing to make an impact.
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