A look at some of the top cricketers who've plunged into the world of politics.
Sachin Tendulkar: He has the most runs in Tests and One-Day Internationals and is the only cricketer to have scored 100 international centuries. On 4 June 2012, Tendulkar created history off the field when he took his oath as Member of Parliament - Rajya Sabha. Tendulkar, the first active sportsperson in the Rajya Sabha, said he wants to be remembered as someone who contributed to the country.
Kirti Azad: Part of India's 1983 World Cup winnings squad, he played 7 Tests and 25 ODIs. Kirti's father, Bhagwat Jha Azad, was chief minister from 14 February 1988 to 10 March 1989. Kirti, who is currently serving his second term in the Lok Sabha, was elected to Parliament on a BJP ticket from Darbhanga, Bihar. He was previously an MLA from Delhi's Gole Market constituency.
Navjot Singh Sidhu: Former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu, who played 51 Tests and 136 ODIs, won on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from the Amritsar seat in the Indian general elections, 2004. After resigning due to a court case against him, he stood again after the ruling was stayed. He won a by-election with a good majority. In the 2009 general elections, he kept the Amritsar seat.
Mohammad Azharuddin: The former India captain was banned for life banned for life in 2000 by the BCCI his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. However, the BCCI lifted this ban in 2006. A member of the Indian National Congress, Azharuddin won election from the Moradabad constituency of Uttar Pradesh to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, in 2009.
Imran Khan: One of cricket's greatest all-rounders, Imran Khan lead Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup. In April 1996, Imran founded and became the chairman of a political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice). He represented Mianwali as a member of the National Assembly from November 2002 to October 2007. Imran is considered by many to be a future Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Sanath Jayasuriya: The former Sri Lanka captain had an illustrious international cricket career that spread over two decades (1991-2011). Jayasuriya, who is the only player to score more than 13,000 runs and capture more than 300 wickets in ODIs, retired from Test cricket in December 2007 and from limited overs cricket in June 2011. Jayasuriya ran for public office, as a member of the United People's Freedom Alliance at the 2010 Sri Lankan general elections and was elected to the parliament from his native Matara District.
Arjuna Ranatunga: He led Sri Lanka to their first and only World Cup trophy in 1996. Under Ranatunga's captaincy, Sri Lanka began to play more aggressively in both ODI and Test cricket the mid-'90s. Ranatunga retired from cricket in 2001, and then became influential in the administration of cricket in Sri Lanka and entered politics, joining the People's Alliance and winning election to the Sri Lankan parliament. He served a tenure as deputy minister for tourism. He joined the Democratic National Alliance in 2010.
Frank Worrell: The only batsman to have been involved in two 500-run partnerships in first-class cricket, the late Sir Frank Worrell was a stylish right-handed batsman and useful left-arm seam bowler. Worrell, who also captained West Indies, and managed the national team after his retirement, was appointed to the Jamaican Senate by Sir Alexander Bustamante.
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi: India's youngest Test captain, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, was an attacking right-handed batsman, and after retirement, managed the Indian team and was also a ICC match referee. Pataudi's tryst with politics though ended in failures - in 1971, he contested the Lok Sabha polls from Gurgaon as a member of Vishal Haryana Party; and in 1991 he contested under a Congress ticket for Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in 1991 - he lost both times.
Chetan Chauhan: The former India opening batsman (far right) played 40 Tests between September 1969 and March 1981, and was a member of the Lok Sabha (lower house of the parliament) from Amroha in 1991 and 1998. He lost the elections from the same constituency in 1996, 1999 and 2004; Chauhan is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Hashan Tillakaratne: The left-handed Tillakaratne played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs, and also captained Sri Lanka briefly. After retiring from cricket, Tillakaratne joined the United National Party, the oldest political party in Sri Lanka and was appointed the party's organizer for Avissawella electorate in the Colombo district.