Sports giants enter politics: Politics is a field where uneducated, highly educated, doctors, lawyers and other professional people come. Here people associated with caste profession are trying to make their political career. At the same time, there are many players in the country who have left their special mark on the field of politics as well as sports.
BJP, Congress, TMC and many other parties have fielded players on the political pitch from time to time. Some have made records by winning and remaining unbeaten, while some have lost their rhythm. There have been many cases where players who covered the field of play have not gone into politics.
Cricketer Yusuf Pathan’s debut in politics
Cricketer Yusuf Pathan has been made debut in politics by TMC in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Mamata Banerjee has provided a political platform to Gujarati player Yusuf Pathan not from Gujarat but from Bengal. Yusuf Pathan has been given ticket from Behrampur Lok Sabha seat in Murshidabad district.
How much cricket all-rounder Yusuf Pathan can bat and bowl on the political pitch will be known in the results of the next elections. Only time will tell whether Yusuf will have a winning debut or a hit wicket.
Along with Yusuf, TMC has also given ticket to former cricketer Kirti Azad. Kirti Azad has been made the candidate from Durgapur seat. Only the results will tell how the political career of these players will be, but let us take a look at those players who made their star shine on the political pitch along with their presence on the sports field. Some players were also unfortunate that they had to face defeat.
Mohammad Azharuddin also tried his luck on the political pitch
Former Indian captain and batsman Mohammad Azharuddin also tried his luck on the political pitch. He had the privilege of scoring a hat-trick of defeats on the ground of Rajaramat. Mohammad Azharuddin joined Congress in 2009. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Azhar was given ticket by Congress from Moradabad seat of Uttar Pradesh. He was victorious on his debut at Rajaramath ground.
Then in 2014 he was given ticket from Tonk Sawai Madhopur seat. Azharuddin was defeated in this election also. Then in 2023, Mohammad Azharuddin tried his luck from Hyderabad. Last year, he stood in the assembly elections from Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad. He was defeated in this election also.
Manoj Prabhakar entered politics after retiring from cricket
Indian cricket team’s all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar entered the political arena after retiring from cricket. Manoj Prabhakar formed an alliance with All India Indira Congress (Tiwari Congress). In the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, All India Indira Congress gave him ticket from South Delhi seat.
BJP woman leader Sushma Swaraj and Congress leader Kapil Sibal were standing in front of Manoj Prabhakar. Manoj Prabhakar, who performed all-round in cricket, was out in his debut match on the Rajaramat pitch. Sushma Swaraj defeated him. Manoj Prabhakar stood third in the elections.
Kirti Azad also contested elections in Rajmart.
Kirti Azad, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Bhagwat Jha Azad, also entered Rajmart after leaving cricket. He was elected MLA from Gol Market, Delhi. Apart from this, he has also become an MP on BJP ticket. After this he had a rift with BJP and he broke ties with BJP. Then joined hands with Congress.
However, within a short time he broke ties with the Congress and joined the Trinamool Congress. TMC has given him a chance in 2024 Lok Sabha. Mamta has given ticket to Kirti Azad from Durgapur seat.
Chetan Chauhan performed well in politics
Former cricketer Chetan Chauhan passed away in 2020. Chetan Chauhan was one such cricketer who was able to perform very well even on the Rajaramath ground. In 1969, Chetan Chauhan started his cricket career against New Zealand. Chetan Chauhan has won the Lok Sabha twice.
BJP had given him a chance on Amroh Lok Sabha seat of Uttar Pradesh. He was victorious both times. Then in 2017, he was also given a chance from Naugaon Sadat assembly seat of Uttar Pradesh. There also he was victorious. Chetan Chauhan was also given a place in Yogi cabinet.
Navjot Singh Sidhu is also considered an expert player in politics.
Navjot Singh Sidhu is also included among the well-known cricketers of India. He is considered an expert player not only in the sports field but also in the Rajaramat ground. After leaving cricket, Sidhu joined BJP. Navjot Singh Sidhu was given a chance by BJP in the Lok Sabha in 2004 and 2009. Sidhu won both these Lok Sabha elections.
At that time Congress had problems with BJP and it formed an alliance with Congress. Congress had made Sidhu the MLA from Amritsar. He also served as a minister in the Government of Punjab. Then in 2022, Sidhu lost the assembly elections on Congress ticket.
Sreesanth and Manoj Tiwari
Sreesanth is one of those players who shone in the world of cricket and disappeared for some time, but did not get success in politics either. Sreesanth, who lost his success in cricket due to match-fixing allegations, joined BJP. In 2016, BJP gave him ticket in the Kerala Assembly elections. He was defeated in this election.
Manoj Tiwari is also such a player. He did not get much success in cricket but got success in politics. Trinamool Congress had given a chance to Manoj Tiwari in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. Manoj Tiwari won from Shibpur seat.
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi entered politics for the first time in 1971. At that time he joined Rao Virendra Singh’s Vishal Haryana Party from Haryana. He contested the Lok Sabha elections from Gurgaon seat on their ticket. He was defeated in this election.
After this he returned to politics after a long gap of two decades. At that time he joined hands with Congress. Congress had given him the Lok Sabha seat from Bhopal. Still he was defeated. He was defeated by Sushil Chandra Sharma of BJP.
All-rounder Chetan Sharma’s Lok Sabha pitch becomes a golden duck
All-rounder Chetan Sharma, who defeated his opponents by bowling in cricket, has also stepped onto the political pitch. He did not hit a single yard on the Lok Sabha pitch and became a golden duck. Was defeated in the first election.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, Chetan Sharma was given ticket by Bahujan Samaj Party from Faridabad Lok Sabha seat of Haryana. Chetan Sharma could not stand the all-round performance of Congress candidate Avtar Singh Bhadana. Bhadana defeated Chetan Sharma.
Punjabi actor and cricketer Yograj Singh also entered politics.
Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh, who played an important role in India’s title victory in the 2009 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, tried his luck in politics apart from cricket. He has played one Test and six One Day Internationals.
He was also known as a famous Punjabi actor. In 2009 he joined the Indian National Lok Dal. Indian National Lok Dal had given him the Haryana Assembly ticket. He was defeated in this election.
Mohammad Kaif had to taste defeat in Rajramat.
Mohammad Kaif, who was famous for his fielding and batting in the middle order and was called the middle order batting partner of Yuvraj Singh, was also not much interested in politics. It was the turn of the playground superstar to taste defeat on the Rajramat ground.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Congress had made Mohammad Kaif its candidate. Mohammad Kaif was fielded from Phulpur seat of Uttar Pradesh. In 2014, Kaif’s fielding did not work against BJP’s batting. He was defeated by UP Deputy CM Keshavprasad Maurya.
Kambli could not play long innings in cricket
Great cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s childhood friend and batting partner Vinod Kambli also could not perform well on the Rajaramath ground. Just as Kambli could not play long innings in cricket, similarly he did not get a special opportunity on the political pitch.
In 2009, Vinod Kambli had contested elections from Vikhroli seat of Mumbai. Lok Bharti Party has given ticket to Vinod Kambli from Vikhroli seat. Vinod Kambli’s Dandiya lost in this election.
Like Olympics, Rajyavardhan Rathod dominated in politics too.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who won the silver medal for India in rifle shooting at the 2004 Athens Olympics, also entered politics. When Rathod won the medal in 2004, Vasundhara Raje was the CM of Rajasthan. He took out a victory procession for Rathod from Delhi to Rajasthan. After making a career in sports, Rajyavardhan Rathore joined BJP after Saffron in politics.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had given ticket to Rajyavardhan Rathod from Jaipur Rural seat. In this election, Rajyavardhan Rathore is contesting against Union Road and Transport Minister C.P. Joshi lost. After winning this election, he became an MP and also got a place in the cabinet in the Modi government. Then Rajyavardhan Rathore was given a chance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections also. He won this election also.
Sachin, PT Usha, Mary Kom, Harbhajan reach Rajya Sabha
There are also such Indian players who got the opportunity to become MPs in Rajya Sabha not by contesting Lok Sabha or Assembly elections but through selection. Cricket superstar and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar also got a chance to become an MP. From 2012 to 2018, Sachin was made a Rajya Sabha MP.
PT in the list of Rajya Sabha MPs. Usha’s name also comes up. He has been sent to Rajya Sabha only in July 2022. Some time ago, he was also given a place in the inquiry committee during the protest by the pioneers in Delhi.
Five-time boxing champion Mary Kom was also made a Rajya Sabha MP in April 2016. Harbhajan Singh is also in the same queue. Aam Aadmi Party sent him to Rajya Sabha in 2022.
Boxer Vijendra Singh also tried the Rajaramat Akhara. He started with Congress. In the 2019 elections, he also contested from South Delhi Lok Sabha seat. Karmo was defeated in this 2019 election. Then some time ago he was also seen in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Recently, before the Lok Sabha elections to be held in April 2024, it has broken ties with Congress and joined hands with BJP. Former Indian football team captain Baichung Bhutia had also contested the Lok Sabha elections on TMC ticket. He was defeated in this.
Polo international player Ashok Chandna Rajasthan minister
Ashok Chandna, who earned fame as an international polo player, has excelled in various sports. She was also a state level cricket, horse riding, swimming and volleyball player. He chose politics after sports. He started his political career after joining Congress. Congress had given a chance to Ashok Chandna in the last assembly elections.
He was victorious from Hindoli (Bundi) seat. After this the government made him the sports minister of the state. Ashok Chandna’s responsibility and role has been big and important in org.zing the Olympic Games at rural and urban levels by the Rajasthan Congress government last year.
Haryana’s medalist Krishna Poonia becomes Rajasthan minister
Krishna Punia, daughter of rural area of Haryana, has participated in discus throw for India in the country and abroad including the Olympics. Krishna Punia, who won many international medals in this event, got married in Rajasthan. There Krishna joined hands with Congress.
Congress gave a chance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, Krishna was fielded against BJP candidate Rajyavardhan Rathod on Jaipur Rural seat. In this election, Rajyavardhan Rathod won the fight between the two players. After this Krishna also became MLA from Sadulpur.
Three players from the 2011 World Cup winning team became the leaders of all three teams.
When it comes to politics, many times mother-son, father-son, brother-sister, husband-wife and even friend-brother-sister come face to face. Here we have to talk about those three leaders who were in the same team at one time. They played cricket together, sometimes ate at the same table and, above all, were part of the team that won the ODI World Cup for India in 2011.
Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan are the three players who left the playing field and came face to face at Rajaramat ground. The surprising thing is that these three players represent three different parties. Gautam Gambhir became BJP leader and MP. Harbhajan Singh is the Rajya Sabha MP of Aam Aadmi Party while Yusuf Pathan has been made the candidate by Trinamool Congress for the Lok Sabha seat of Bengal.
