Former India cricketer and amazing orator, Navjot Singh Sidhu, will be making his return to the commentary box in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. The IPL 17 will begin from March 22nd with CSK and RCB clashing in the opening match in Chennai.
Sidhu is one of the most recognizable voices in Indian cricket, having plied his trade all around the world. In addition to providing commentary on international matches, Sidhu was employed by multiple IPL broadcasters.
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Sidhu began his career as a commentator in 2001 while India was touring Sri Lanka. Sidhu, who was well-known for his colorful and unique flair, rose to fame quickly for his clever one-liners. He became a popular character among cricket fans and pundits due to his distinct blend of comedy and cricket knowledge.
Stars Sports shared a post on their official ‘X’ account announcing Sidhu’s return to comm box, with the caption: "A wise man once said, 'Hope is the biggest ‘tope’. And this wise man, the great @sherryontopp himself, has joined our Incredible StarCast! Don't miss his incredible commentary (and gajab one-liners) in #IPLOnStar - STARTS MAR 22, 6:30 PM onwards, LIVE on Star Sports Network!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu said the glitzy league would help decide the T20 World Cup squad of not just India but also other countries.
"The IPL will set the tone for the World Cup. There is no other cricket happening. The eyes of the world are on IPL. This is where you can snatch a berth for the T20 World Cup, not only Indians, even the foreign players," Sidhu told PTI in an interview facilitated by the IPL's official TV broadcaster 'Star Sports'.
The 60-year-old hasn't spoken in a long time, but just three days after making his "first" commentary return, he was fired up as much as ever.
"Boss, cricket is my first love. If your hobby becomes your profession there is nothing better than that. A duckling would never forget how to swim, I will take to commentary like a fish takes to water. The mental fortitude will sail me through any situation now. In cricket, I have made 20 odd comebacks, this is my first comeback to commentary. I was in the swing of things from 1999 to 2014-15 (commentary)," he said.
Sidhu gave the commentary box its "X factor" in the early IPL years, and his phenomenal performance in front of the microphone elevated him to a well-known figure in the entertainment industry where he was paid handsomely to appear in comedic events.
Sidhu claimed he was never in it for the huge money, even though the sum was far more than what he could have made as a successful cricket player in India.
"I left cricket and joined commentary and I did not know if this is something I could do. I was not very confident (initially) but 10-15 days into the World Cup, the word Sidhuism came up. I was walking in a lane no one was walking. It was the lane of Sidhuism.
From Rs 60-70 lakh for the whole tournament, I was taking Rs 25 lakh per day in IPL. The satisfaction was not with money, the satisfaction was that time would fly. It was beautiful," Sidhu added.
Sidhu was one of India’s most stylish cricketers during his playing days. His career spanned 15 years from 1983 to 1998. In 51 Tests and 136 ODIs, Sidhu scored 3202 and 4413 runs respectively with 15 centuries and 48 half-centuries to his name.
(PTI inputs)
