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Former India and Bengal pacer Ashoke Dinda has been appointed as the Sports Minister of the new West Bengal government.
The Indian state of West Bengal went to the polls in April, with the result declared on May 4. Dinda won in the Moyna constituency while contesting from the Bhartiya Janata Party. The BJP will form the new state government, having 206 out of 294 Constituencies in the state.
Ashoke Dinda is now a two-time MLA
Dinda had also won the Moyna constituency during the previous elections in 2021. At the time, his party had not won enough constituencies to form a government.
Dinda's appointment as Sports Minister means that West Bengal will have a cricketer as their Sports Minister for two Cabinets in a row. Former India batter Manoj Tiwary was the Sports Minister in the last government formed by the Trinamool Congress.
Unlike Dinda, Tiwary was an active cricketer while being a minister and even captained Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.
Ashoke Dinda - Sports Minister of Bengal. Congratulations @dindaashoke
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) May 8, 2026
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Dinda beats competitors to ministerial berth
As reported by RevSportz, Dinda seems to have beaten a few heavy-hitters or two to rise up to the post of minister.
Among others, Dinda's closest competitor appeared to be Sourav Sikdar who won from the North Dum Dum constituency and is associated with the Southern Samity football club.
Other candidates in this race included were former Indian hockey player Bharath Chettri who won from Kalimpong, and other prominent political names like Tapas Roy and Rakesh Tiwary.
Ashoke Dinda playing career
Dinda first burst on to the scene during the IPL in 2008. He was known for his consistent high pace and an exaggerated delivery stride.
Having made his first class debut in 2005, Dindia never played Tests for India, but played 13 ODIs and 9 T20Is between 2009 and 2013. In ODIs, he took 12 wickets at an average of 51, but took 17 wickets at an average of 14.41 in T20Is.
Dinda also had a respectable IPL career playing for 5 different teams between 2008 and 2017. In all, he took 69 wickets in 78 IPL matches at an average of 30.
Dinda played for his home franchise Kolkata Knight Riders between 2008 and 2010. He got a one-year stint at Delhi Capitals in 2011 before switching base to Pune Warriors India in 2012. Dinda stayed with that franchise until their dissolution in 2013.
In 2014, he enjoyed Royal Challengers Bangalore and had a two-year stint. The final two-year stretch of Dinda's IPL career was with Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017.
Ashoke Dinda's real mark though, came in first class cricket for Bengal. Between 2005 and 2019, he took 420 wickets in 116 FC matches at an average of 28.28. He also took 151 wickets in 98 List A games at an average of 28.50
In 2020, Ashoke Dinda left Bengal for Goa, but played only one season for his new team before retiring in February 2021.
