‘Adopt India’s Ideology’: Chetan Chauhan’s Advice to Imran Khan

“Imran Khan united the cricket team, let’s see how he unites the country,” said the former India cricketer.

Former India cricketer Chetan Chauhan remembers Imran Khan the cricketer.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj

“He was a fast bowler, and a very good one. If he works on his own terms, the relationship between India and Pakistan can be improved,” said cricketer-turned-politician Chetan Chauhan about Imran Khan, former Pakistan cricketer and now the country’s prime minister-in-waiting.

BJP leader Chauhan – who played for India between 1969 and 1981 – remembered Imran Khan the cricketer, against who he played 9 Tests and 2 One-Day Internationals.

“I was batting in Faisalabad when Imran was bowling. He was called 'Immi’. Sarfaraz was fielding and shouted, “aye Immi, break his head”. I was batting and heard it once, twice and then thrice. I told him why ask Imran to break it, break it yourself. Cricket was very aggressive then,” Chauhan told The Quint.

He was a fast bowler and a very good one. He was the top all-rounder for Pakistan like Kapil Dev was to the Indian cricket team. He had good control over the team. He was different from other Pakistani players.

Chetan Chauhan

After sweeping the Pakistan elections, star cricketer-turned-politician Khan now looks poised to become the first international cricketer in the world to be elected as the prime minister of a country.

Chauhan said that it is now up to Khan, to improve Pakistan’s image.

There is a lot of crisis in Pakistan. Electricity, water, hunger, etc. There is a bomb blast or terror attack every 15 days and 50 people die. Pakistan’s image right now is really bad. It now depends on him, how he improves it. Will the army dictate him or the terrorists? Will extremists take him over? a lot depends on him. But if he works on his own terms, the relationship between India-Pakistan can be improved.

Chetan Chauhan

As captain of their cricket team, Imran Khan lead Pakistan to their first and only Cricket World Cup title in 1992. After retiring from cricket in 1992, Khan started his second innings as a politician, launching the party Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement of Justice) four years later.

“He won the world cup for Pakistan, which was a huge deal for the country. Nobody gave Pakistan a chance to become a world champion like they gave India in 1983 under Kapil Dev’s leadership,” said Chauhan.

“Imran Khan united the team, now what is to be seen is how he unites the country. It all depends on him.”

“Politics is different from cricket. If Pakistan adopts India’s ideology, Imran Khan will be a successful politician,” concluded Chauhan.