Image from Outlookindia.comNavjot Singh Sidhu was always a pleasure to watch in his cricketing days. It was humorous to watch him field, flinging himself whole on top of the ball racing to the boundary. The ball was something he could not ever manage to keep in his hands, except when he was bowling.
Then he retired, something which saddened many in the cricketing fraternity and fans. Not because of any extraordinary skill to win matches, rather just sad to see there was no comic figure to give a few laughs when India was being slaughtered by opposing teams on the cricket pitch.
He cashed on his comical persona by turning his career sights on cricket commentary and developed his own unique brand of humour simply termed "Siddhuism," peppered with his witty and mindless one liners. His one liners at times came at the expense of his old team mates on the field, i.e. "There is light at the end of the tunnel for India, but it's that of an oncoming train which will run them over"~ Navjot Singh Sidhu. However, he took his outspoken style a bit too far and was sacked by ESPN-Star around August 2003 - allegedly for using the F-Word on air.
After becoming a household name with his crazy commentating skills, Sidhu decided to join politics. And behold it did work! In a country where speeches can move the masses. He was given a seat and he got elected as a BJP Member of the Indian Parliament.
Then he retired, something which saddened many in the cricketing fraternity and fans. Not because of any extraordinary skill to win matches, rather just sad to see there was no comic figure to give a few laughs when India was being slaughtered by opposing teams on the cricket pitch.
He cashed on his comical persona by turning his career sights on cricket commentary and developed his own unique brand of humour simply termed "Siddhuism," peppered with his witty and mindless one liners. His one liners at times came at the expense of his old team mates on the field, i.e. "There is light at the end of the tunnel for India, but it's that of an oncoming train which will run them over"~ Navjot Singh Sidhu. However, he took his outspoken style a bit too far and was sacked by ESPN-Star around August 2003 - allegedly for using the F-Word on air.
After becoming a household name with his crazy commentating skills, Sidhu decided to join politics. And behold it did work! In a country where speeches can move the masses. He was given a seat and he got elected as a BJP Member of the Indian Parliament.
That ball went so high it could have got an air hostess down with it. ~Navjot Singh Sidhu
But then crimes do catch up and bring down the criminal however high they go in society. It just happened, that a case Sidhu thought had been forgotten finally got to see the day of light at the Indian Courts after decades of gathering dust.
The case dates back to December 27, 1988, when on a cold day in Patiala, the hot-headed cricketer bludgeoned one Gurnam Singh in a parking lot. Sidhu was at that time accompanied in his crime by his friend Rupinder Singh Sandhu. The victim died the same day.
In December 2006, Sidhu was found guilty and a three-year rigorous jail sentence handed down by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was also given one month to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court of India. Today, he gave himself up before a Chief Judicial Magistrate and will spend the night in Patiala Jail until tomorrow, when his appeal comes up before the Indian Supreme Court.
The thoughts in Sidhu's mind right now, maybe be could be best described with one of his famous quotes, "As uncomfortable as a bum on a porcupine."
Tonight, he sits in his cell uneasy remembering perhaps all his words especially one quote on life "Nobody travels on the road to success without a puncture or two."
We will know soon if this puncture in his life, is the one that finally renders the tyre unrepairable and of no use. However, will anyone shed a tear if this Siddhuism fizzes out behind bars? Wonder if he will take up a job as a cricket coach for the prison inmates? He better not anger some of them with his one liners!
The good old comical days! Rugby or Cricket?
Sidhu runs into umpire Steve Bucknor during the India vs Pakistan match in Sharjah, Dec 1997. Pic by Graham Chadwick/ALLSPORT.
1 comment:
Sidhu annoys me..has sumone seen him in da laughter challenge on star one..damn he can possibly laugh on nethin n everythin..i alwayz thought n still think..hes a lil cracked in da head.
Post a Comment