Navjot Singh Sidhu cricket career: The Patiala-born opening batter was well known for his ability to hit massive out-of-the-park sixes.
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Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu received a heavy blow on Thursday, as the public mandate on the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly Election result went against him, which led to him losing his seat to Aam Aadmi Party’s Jeevan Jyot Kaur by more than 6,000 votes from Amritsar East.
Akin his political career, which began in the year 2004, Navjot Sidhu had to go through some topsy-turvy days during his Cricketing-career as well, having made his First-Class debut in November 1981 for Punjab against Services.
An impressive show at the domestic level for the Punjab side, which began with a half-century on debut, it took mere two years for Sidhu to earn his maiden India call-up in 1983 after he smashed a century for the North Zone against West Indies.
However, post a couple of Tests against the Windies at home, the right-hander was dropped from the Indian side and failed to make a comeback until exactly five years later against New Zealand in 1988.
Navjot Singh Sidhu cricket career
Navjot Singh Sidhu made a stellar comeback to the Indian Test side by smashing an impressive century against the Kiwis in Bengaluru.
During his Test career, which ended in January 1999, ‘Sixer Sidhu’- as he was popularly named, amassed a total of 3,202 runs across 51 Test matches (78 innings), at an average of 42.13, with the help of 15 half-centuries and 9 centuries.
Before making his return back to the Indian Test side, the now 58-year-old, made his ODI debut during the 1987 Cricket World Cup, and got himself registered in the record books right away.
During the tournament, Sidhu smashed consecutive half-centuries against Australia, New Zealand, Australia, and Zimbabwe to become the first player to smash four successive half-centuries on debut in ODIs.
Sidhu went on to play a total of 136 ODIs for India from 1987-98, while going on to score 4,413 runs at an average of 37.08, with the assistance of 33 fifties and 6 centuries.
Overall, during his List A Cricketing career, Navjot Sidhu played 205 matches to score 7,186 runs at an average of 41.77, with the help of 55 fifties and 10 tons.
