Full list of cricketers who joined BJP ft Gautam Gambhir

Many well-known sportspersons have entered politics after their careers in sports. Over the years, several big names have made this transition, showing a growing trend. These athletes often use their popularity to support social work, sports development, and public service.

Among cricketers, players like Kirti Azad, Chetan Chauhan, and Navjot Singh Sidhu have been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)during their political careers. In recent times, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also joined the BJP in September 2024, following his wife, adding another major name to the list.

Apart from cricketers, other sportspersons such as Saina Nehwal, Yogeshwar Dutt, Babita Phogat, Kalyan Chaubey, and Vijender Singh have also joined the party at different points in time.

Former cricketers like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Gautam Gambhir, S Sreesanth, and Ashok Dinda have also been part of the BJP during their political journeys, showing the strong connection between sports and politics.

Here is the complete list of cricketers who have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP):

1. Chetan Chauhan

Chetan Chauhan, a former Indian cricketer and opening batsman, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after his playing career and became an active political leader. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from Amroha in 1991 and again in 1998 on a BJP ticket. Over the years, he remained closely associated with the party and later served as a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, handling portfolios like sports and youth affairs. Chauhan was known for his disciplined approach both on and off the field. His move into politics reflected his desire to serve society and contribute to sports development in India.

2. Kirti Azad

Kirti Azad, who was part of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, later joined politics. He was elected to Parliament on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. Before that, he also served as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Delhi’s Gole Market. He later contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

However, his political career faced problems when he was suspended from the BJP. This happened after he openly spoke against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged issues in the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). In February 2019, Azad joined the Indian National Congress and contested the general elections, but he lost. Later, he joined the All India Trinamool Congress and won the Lok Sabha election from the Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency in West Bengal.

3. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian team, served as a Member of Parliament from 2019 to 2024, representing the East Delhi constituency for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He joined the BJP on 22 March 2019 in the presence of senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad and was soon announced as the party’s candidate for the 2019 general elections. During the campaign, his opponent Atishi Marlena challenged him to a public debate, but Gambhir declined, stating that he does not believe in “dharna and debates.” He went on to win the election by a large margin of 695,109 votes against Atishi Marlena and Arvinder Singh Lovely.

In March 2024, Gambhir decided to step away from active politics to focus on his cricket commitments. He announced that he had requested BJP National President JP Nadda to relieve him of his political duties. His decision marked a shift back to his primary role in cricket, where he continues to contribute to Indian cricket in a leadership position.

See also -'Gambhir wants a skipper who...'- Former India cricketer reveals reason for breaking opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson in Asia Cup 2025

4. Ravindra Jadeja

India’s T20 World Cup-winning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in September 2024, following the political path of his wife, Rivaba Jadeja. Rivaba had earlier joined the BJP in 2019 and went on to contest the Gujarat Assembly elections from the Jamnagar North constituency in 2022.

During her campaign, Ravindra Jadeja actively supported her and took part in election activities. Rivaba secured a strong victory, winning the seat by a margin of over 50,000 votes, marking a significant milestone in her political career.

5. Navjot Singh Sidhu

Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu has had a long career in politics after retiring from cricket. He started his political journey with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004, when he was elected as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha.

After being with the BJP for more than ten years, Sidhu left the party in 2017 and joined the Indian National Congress (INC). He contested the Amritsar East seat and won the election. Later, he took oath as the Tourism and Local Bodies Minister in the Punjab government.

6. S Sreesanth

World Cup-winning bowler S. Sreesanth has been a well-known name in both cricket and politics. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 25 March 2016 and soon entered electoral politics. Sreesanth contested the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. He received 34,764 votes but lost the election to V. S. Sivakumar of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 11,710 votes.

7. Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav is one of the latest cricketers to enter politics after ending his international career. The 40-year-old joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 8 April 2025 at a ceremony held at the party office. State president Chandrashekhar Bawankule welcomed him into the party.

Jadhav has represented India at the international level and has also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He played for teams like Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Daredevils. He was known as a good all-rounder who contributed with both bat and ball. In June 2024, he announced his retirement from all formats of cricket and is now starting a new journey in politics.

8. Ashok Dinda

Ashok Dinda is a well-known name in Indian cricket. He was the leading wicket-taker for Bengal in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy. He played domestic cricket for Bengal and Goa and also featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for several teams. He was part of India’s squad that won the 2010 Asia Cup.

Dinda retired from all forms of cricket on 2 February 2021 and later entered politics. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contested the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election from the Moyna constituency. He won the election with 108,109 votes, defeating Trinamool Congress candidate Sangram Kumar Dolai by a margin of 1,260 votes.