Navjot Singh Sidhu is Punjab's answer to Tamil Nadh's K. Srikkanth, both India's dashing opening batsmen and both hard-hitters of the ball. Both cannot be tied down no matter of what country the pace attack they are facing, both like to leave the crease to lift the ball into the stands for glorious sixes. Indian people have always liked those who can hammer sixes, sometimes even on demand. In the sixties all-round Salim Durrani delighted the crowds, spraying sixes on all sides. In the seventies and eighties both Srikkanth and Sidhu were the start performers on the Indian cricket scene. If Srikkanth was a folk hero in Tamil Nadu, Sidhu is a hero in Punjab.

Sidhu took to cricket because with his father, the late Bhagwant Singh Sidhu, the game was a passion. He wanted to see Sidhu as a top-class cricketer. So he took him everywhere, followed him like a shadow and ensured Sidhu had a cricket atmosphere around. From the beginning Sidhu showed great promise. As the years rolled by he polished his game further and removed whatever flaws he had in his technique.

Sidhu first represented the country in England with the under-19 Indian team led by Ravi Shastri. His performance was satisfactory. But Navjot Sidhu showed his real class during; the West Indies tour of India.. Playing for the North Zone Sidhu first cricket a century against the West Indies. Later he was included in the Board President's XI when he scored 70 odd runs. This ensured him a place in the Indian team. 'Thus Sidhu made his Test debut against the West Indies led by Clive Llyod in 1983. In the years that followed Sidhu had matured into a fine cricketer.

Navjot hit the maiden Test century (116) against New Zealand led by John Wright. In five Test innings Sidhu aggregated 198 at an average of 49.50. So he was able to establish himself as a successful Test cricketer from Punjab. But in the three one-day internationals against New Zealand Sidhu scored 25,67 and 14 which gave him an average of 35.53. In the 1987 Reliance Cup $idhu had time and again hammered the opposition into submission. However, against the Kiwis he was less authoritative. At the Cuttack international where he hit 67 runs, he ducked awkwardly to give a rising catch to wicket-keeper Ian Smith. It had given rise to the view in certain quarters that Sidhu was vulnerable against rising, deliveries. However, the opinion-was not well founded going by his scores in the Reliance Cup. In that World Cup Sidhu hit 73 against Australia, 75 against New Zealand,51 against Australia again, 55 against Zimbabwe and 22 against .England. But lately Sidhu has been in and out of the Indian team. Initially he was not selected in the Indian team for the Australian tour in 1992 but was recalled mid-way through the tour. But Sidhu obviously did not succeed as much as the Board of Control for Cricket in India {BCCI) wanted him to. Consequently, he was dropped from the Indian team for the World Cup. However, some strongly felt that he was unceremoniously axed.

However, Sidhu has still years of cricket in him. If he keeps away injuries and maintains his physical fitness, he will most naturally walk into the national team and don the India cap, rather turban in his case.

At present Navjot Sidhu is working as an officer with the State Bank of Patiala.