After film stars, parties now pitch for cricketers

New Delhi: Colonel, Jumbo and Azza. They are three former Indian skippers, all with distinct styles - Colonel's stroke-play, Azza's wristy shots and Kumble's flippers.

Now all these distinct styles are merging on the political field.

Karnataka BJP President Sadanand Gowda said that the pary does not "mind giving a ticket to Kumble". "There are some reports, but we haven't come across any request either from Kumble or his supporters as yet," he said.

Shiv Sena MP, Manohar Joshi adds, "Vengsarkar approached Shri Udhav Thackeray ji expressing his desire to contest "

Mohammad Azharuddin's taint in the match fixing scandal has not been a hurdle in his getting a nod of approval from the Congress in Hyderabad.. Kumble claims he is yet to make up his mind, Vengsarkar is being courted by the NCP and the Shiv Sena.

But this is not the first time that cricketers have chosen khadi after giving up the white flannels.

Way back in 1971, Tiger Pataudi himself had contested the Lok Sabha elections. In the recent times Chetan Chauhan, Kirti Azaad and the big-six-hitter-turned-verbal-marathon-winner, Navjot Singh Sidhu all have grown in their political careers.

The queue doesn't end there. Haryana pacer Chetan Sharma, who still lives with the nightmares of being hit for a last ball six by Javed Miandad, is eyeing a BSP ticket. But performance on the 22 yard strip is very different from performance in the political theatre.

"It is very difficult. As a batsman the ball comes from front. Here it can come from anywhere, not just from the front," says Chetan Chauhan.

So from film stars to cricketers, elections 2009 is already turning out to be an extremely glamorous affair.