Gautam Gambhir | Harbhajan Singh (Source: AFP)In a significant development, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Friday. Harbhajan Singh was a vital cog of the Indian cricket team that won two major World Cup titles, including the inaugural 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC World Cup. It is worth noting that Harbhajan transitioned into public life after his cricketing career and entered politics by joining the Aam Aadmi Party. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.Now, the recent news of Harbhajan Singh joining the BJP has brought back the buzz around the many cricketers who have turned politicians after calling time on their cricket careers. Indian cricketers who turned politiciansAfter making a name in cricket, cricketers often stay close to the sport by becoming coaches or commentators after retirement. On the other hand, some chose other professions, like starting their own businesses or spending time with their families and shooting commercials for income.Also read: List Of Indian Cricketers Who Have Been Banned For DopingHowever, a section of the cricketers have decided to join politics in recent times to serve the people of the country. In that context, below is a list of Indian cricketers who went on to pursue politics for social services after hanging up their boots in cricket: Sl. No.SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableNameSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableCricket Career HighlightsSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TablePolitical Party AffiliationSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableNotable Political RoleSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table1SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableGautam GambhirSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table2007 & 2011 World Cup WinnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer Member of Parliament (MP), East DelhiSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table2SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableNavjot Singh SidhuSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table1983 World Cup winnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableIndian National Congress (formerly BJP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer President of Punjab Pradesh Congress CommitteeSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table3SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableMohammad AzharuddinSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table1990–91 Asia Cup winning captainSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableIndian National CongressSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer MP from MoradabadSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table4SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableKirti AzadSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table1983 World Cup WinnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAll India Trinamool Congress (formerly BJP/Congress)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer MP from DarbhangaSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table5SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableMansoor Ali Khan PataudiSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer Indian CaptainSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableIndian National CongressSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableContested Bhopal Lok Sabha seat (1991)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table6SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableChetan ChauhanSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table1983 World Cup winnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer Minister in the Uttar Pradesh GovernmentSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table7SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableHarbhajan SinghSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table2007 T20 World Cup & 2011 World Cup WinnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAam Aadmi Party (AAP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableMember of Parliament, Rajya SabhaSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table8SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableManoj TiwarySelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableDomestic Giant & India playerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAll India Trinamool Congress (TMC)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableMinister of State for Youth Services and Sports (WB)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table9SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableVinod KambliSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableFormer BatterSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableLok Bharati PartySelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableVice-President of Lok Bharati PartySelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table10SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableS. SreesanthSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table2007 T20 World CupSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableContested 2016 Kerala Assembly ElectionsSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table11SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableYusuf PathanSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table2007 T20 World Cup & 2011 World Cup WinnerSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableAll India Trinamool Congress (TMC)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableMember of Parliament (MP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table12SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableKedar Jadhav SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table 2017 ICC Champions Trophy (runner-up)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table- Most prominent cricketing giants who joined politics in recent times 3) Kedar Jadhav, BJPFormer Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav joined the BJP in April 2025. Jadhav has represented India in 73 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) since his debut in 2014 against Sri Lanka. In domestic cricket, he represented Maharashtra and played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for teams including Chennai Super Kings. Moreover, on June 3, 2024, Kedar Jadhav announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.2) Yusuf Pathan, TMCAnother veteran Indian cricketer, Yusuf Pathan, joined The All India Trinamool Congress in March 2024. It is worth noting that Pathan contested and won the 2024 Indian general election, representing TMC from the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal.Before calling curtains on his international career on February 26, 2021, the former India all-rounder represented the nation from 2008 to 2012, during which he played 57 ODIs and 22 Twenty20 International matches. He was a part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2007 and also the side that clinched the ODI World Cup in 2011. 1) Gautam Gambhir, BJPFormer Indian cricketer and the current Head coach of the ICT, Gautam Gambhir, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on March 22, 2019, ahead of the general elections. He was welcomed by senior leaders and later won the East Delhi parliamentary constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He officially stepped away from politics in March 2024 to join his former IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as a mentor for the 2024 season.In his maiden edition as the KKR mentor, he won the IPL 2024 title, after which he was presented with the role of the Indian men’s cricket team’s head coach. Gambhir holds the distinction of being the only Indian to have won an ICC trophy as both a player and a coach. During his time as a player, he has won many high-octane games for India between 2003 and 2016. Moreover, he was a cornerstone of India's top order, crucial to the 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup wins, and was named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2009.Post-retirement, Gautam Gambhir has also established himself as one of the most successful coaches of the Indian Cricket Team. He became the first to win two major ICC trophies: the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup.Also read: Mohsin Naqvi's PSL Goes IPL Way After Public Demeaning! All Teams Unite For Special Demand
