'Was taking ₹25 lakh per day for IPL': Navjot Singh Sidhu on his comeback as commentator after a decade

The Indian Premier League 2024 is set to kick off on March 22, and flamboyant former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu is also returning to do what he does best – commentary.

Returning after a decade to the IPL, Sidhu's unique 'Sidhuism' is what people are waiting for. His sarcasm, poetry, data, and way of describing a player were missed in the previous sessions of IPLs.

A prominent face behind the microphone, his commentaries also made him a renowned personality in the entertainment world where he was paid handsomely to appear on a comedy show.

Speaking on the amount he received, he said that he was never in it for the big bucks.

"From ₹60-70 lakh for the whole tournament, I was taking ₹25 lakh per day in IPL. The satisfaction was not with money, the satisfaction was that time would fly. It was beautiful," he said to news agency PTI.

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He added that initially for him commentary was tough, but then the word Sidhuism came up and he walked on that lane.

"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," he added.

Reacting to being back on the upcoming IPL as a commentator, he said, "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."

On veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma:

According to Sidhu, the class of these players has the stamp of authority.

"They will be needed there. These are giants of the cricketing world. The form is like the morning dew, it can elude you but the class of these people has the stamp of authority.

"I would rate Kohli as the greatest Indian batsman for the simple reason, of his fitness, he is getting fitter with age like old wine does. Technically very sound and he has the uncanny knack of adapting to all three formats, same goes for Rohit," Sidhu explained in his inimitable style.

"Both are quality players. I am not sure about Rohit's fitness levels. With age, you tend to slow down, and your reflexes tend to go. Sehwag with those glasses, his reflexes were not the same, I saw it in the IPL."

On India's 2023 WC final loss:

Though India lost the finals to Australia in the ICC Men's World Cup, Sidhu isn't too concerned.

"In the recent World Cup they were playing very well, they just had one bad game, one bad game cannot asses the fortunes of a team. I see the Indian team ruling the roost for a long time because the system that breeds cricketers is very congenial and conducive.

"In my time, people would carry on despite bad form because there were no replacements. Now, Hardik Pandya is replacing the Indian captain as captain at Mumbai Indians because he has performed so well.

"Not that it is derogatory to Rohit but it is just a thought process. The old order must change yielding place to the new," said Sidhu.

Love for cricket:

On being asked about his comeback to cricket, Sidhu said, "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."

He said that his sense of humour kept him going during the turbulent phases of his life. "The secret of my life is that I switch on and switch off. It was difficult for me to switch off from politics but then the age of miracles has not passed. The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little while longer.

"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).

"A gem cannot be polished without friction nor a man perfected without trials," Sidhu went on, the way only he can.

With agency inputs.