7 prominent Indian cricketers transitioned into politics, joining various political parties and securing seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Their journeys from cricket to political arenas have been marked by active participation, with some focusing on representing constituencies while others have taken on key political roles post-retirement.
7. Harbhajan Singh – Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
In 2022, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh ventured into politics by joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He became a Rajya Sabha member for Punjab and also won a seat in the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Representing the Jandiala constituency, he continued his political journey as an AAP MLA, transitioning from cricket to politics.
6. Yusuf Pathan – Trinamool Congress
Former Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan joined the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. He was one of 42 TMC candidates, contesting from the Baharampur constituency in West Bengal. After retiring from cricket in 2021, Pathan became a TMC MP in the 18th Lok Sabha.
5. Mohammad Azharuddin – Indian National Congress
Former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin, affected by the match-fixing scandal, joined the Congress party in 2009 and won the Moradabad constituency MP seat in Uttar Pradesh. He made a political comeback in the 2023 Assembly elections from Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad but lost to Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s Maganti Gopinath by 16,000 votes.
4. Mohammed Kaif – Indian National Congress
India’s star batter Mohammed Kaif joined the Congress party and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Phulpur constituency in Allahabad. Despite securing 58,000 votes, he finished fourth. Kaif later stepped back from politics, choosing to focus more on spending time with his family.
3. Navjot Singh Sidhu – Indian National Congress
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who joined the BJP in 2004 and served as a Parliament member from Amritsar twice, switched to Congress in 2016. Before IPL 2024, Sidhu announced his departure from Congress and made his return to the Indian Premier League as a commentator.
2. Gautam Gambhir – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
After retiring from international cricket, Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP in 2019 and won the East Delhi MP seat. Ahead of the 2024 elections, he stepped down from his position to return to cricket, opting out of defending his seat. Gambhir later became the mentor of IPL 2024 champion KKR and the Indian head coach.
1. Manoj Tiwary – Trinamool Congress
Manoj Tiwary, former Bengal cricketer and junior minister, entered politics after retiring in 2021. He joined the Trinamool Congress, won a West Bengal Legislative Assembly seat, and became the junior minister for youth services and sports. Tiwary rejoined the Bengal team for the 2022-2023 Ranji Trophy and retired after the 2023-2024 season.
