Navjot Singh Sidhu remains a most interesting cocktail of sports, media, politics and personality. He has expanded himself across both of India’s favourite pastimes- cricket and reality television. Wherever he has ventured, he has carried with him his distinct ‘Paaji’ persona.
Navjot Singh Sidhu Profile/Bio
Navjot Singh Sidhu’s teammates once dubbed him ‘Sixer Siddhu’ for his outstanding batting performances. When he improved his fielding, they gave him the honorific ‘Jonty Singh’ after the fielding legend Jonty Rhodes. His fans are equally affectionate. For followers and admirers, he is ‘Sheri Paaji’ or ‘Siddhu Paaji’.
Sidhu is renowned the world over as a prolific cricketer, commentator, media personality and politician.
| Real Name | Navjot Singh Sidhu |
| Nickname | Sixer Sidhu, Sheri Paaji & Sidhu Paaji |
| Profession | Cricketer, Politician & Commentator |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Personal Life/Wiki
Sidhu was born Navjot Singh Sidhu on 20 October 1963 in the holy Indian city of Amritsar, Punjab. His hometown is Patiala. As of 2021, Sidhu is 57 years old.
Growing up, Sidhu frequently flunked cricket practice and had a dismally irregular attendance record. Nevertheless, he showed promise on account of being naturally talented at the sport.
Sidhu’s zodiac sign is Libra. So far, we can say the stars have shone in his favour. Born into a Sikh family, Sikh is himself a Jat Sikh.
| Date of Birth | 20 October 1963 |
| Age (as in 2021) | 58 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Patiala, Punjab, India |
| Hometown | Patiala, Punjab, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac Sign/Sun Sign | Libra |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Family Information
Sidhu’s father Sardar Bhagwant Singh was a cricketer. Bhagwant Singh wanted his son to not only follow in his profession but be better at it than him. He desired to see Sidhu become a world-class cricketer.
Singh noticed that his son lacked self-discipline. To push him into bettering his physique, Singh would have Sidhu go out for a jog at 4 a.m every morning. Young Navjot was a naughty kid. He soon learnt a way to get around this.
Since his father did not bother to personally enforce his command, a mischievous Sidhu would simply bribe the house servants into lying to his father. Should his father come asking, Sidhu would splash water on his face, fabricate the details of his morning jog and act fatigued, before returning to bed.
| Father Name | Late Sardar Bhagwant Singh (Cricketer) |
| Mother Name | Late Nirmal Sidhu |
| Brother Name | None |
| Sister Name | Suman Toor, Late Neelam Mahajan |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Education Details
Navjot attended Yadavindra Public School, Patiala. He then shifted to Mumbai to HR College of Commerce and Economics. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from there.
| School | Yadavindra Public School, Patiala |
| College/University | Mohindra College, Panjab University, Chandigarh |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Wife & More
Sidhu is married to Navjot Kaur Sidhu. The couple has two children: Rabia and Karan.
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Navjot Kaur Sidhu (Doctor and Politician) |
| Children’s | Daughter – Rabia Sidhu Son – Karan Sidhu |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Money Factor
As of 2021, Navjot Singh Sidhu is worth approximately 45 Crore INR or $6 million.
| Net Worth (approx.) | 50 Crore INR |
Navjot Singh Sidhu Biography, Facts & Recent Updates
Sidhu made his first-class cricket debut in 1981. Sidhu scored a half-century in his first match. In 1983, he scored a century in an exhibition game against the West Indies. Selectors were impressed. In November of the same year. Navjot Singh Sidhu would make his test debut against the same side. But this time, he failed to shine. After a series of poor batting performances, Sidhu was dropped from the squad.
In 1987, Sidhu’s lucky stars shone again. He was slated to play for team India in the 1987 World Cup. Making his ODI debut on the highest stage Sidhu did not hold back. His battling was decisive and aggressive. He would come in as a top-order batsman and go all guns blazing. Sidhu became the only player to score 5 fifties in a row.
In 1999, he retired from cricket citing personal fallout with the then Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin.
Sidhu made his commentary debut during India’s 2001 tour of Sri Lanka. There he would regale listeners with the one-liners that became his signature ‘Sidhuisms’. Channels were quick to monetize his humour. Before he knew it, Sidhu found himself a regular guest on post-match commentary segments.
Where other commentators would offer cold analysis, Sidhu came across as a more accessible man. He was in the team once. He had been there, done that. Yet, he had the kind of charm that draws in the common man, the amateur cricket enthusiast and the bored spectator; draws them in towards not just the beauty of the game, but the humour in it.
During the initial years of the Indian Premier League (IPL), broadcasters at ‘Set Max’ noticed the popularity of Sidhu’s one-liners and witty ‘Shayari and came up with a daily poll wherein audiences could choose the ‘Siddhuism of the day’.
Sidhu’s involvement in politics is hardly uncommon knowledge. He was Lok Sabha MP for his home city of Amritsar from 2004 to 2009. He then appeared to have faded out of politics but made a comeback in 2016 when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
In 2016, Sidhu shocked his party, the BJP, by resigning his seat in the Upper House. Sidhu then jumped ship and joined the Congress. However, his political career showed no time signs of slowing down.
In 2017, Sidhu won the Amritsar East constituency in Punjab’s state elections. The party bosses, convinced of his abilities, made him Minister of Local Bodies. After a cabinet reshuffle, Sidhu was assigned the crucial Ministry of Power and New and Renewable Energy Sources.
Sidhu also developed a reality tv career. He was a long-time permanent guest on the popular ‘Kapil Sharma Show. He even starred in a Punjabi film ‘Mera Pind’ and had a cameo in the Bollywood hit ‘ABCD 2’.
The generation that follows ours might know Navjot Singh Sidhu, the has-been sportsperson and turncoat politician. But this article intends to also celebrate the good old days. The days when Navjot Singh Sidhu was one of the finest cricketers, and after that, one of the finest commentators that India had to offer.
Thank you, imaginary reader, for going through this article on Navjot Singh Sidhu.