Virat Kohli mentioned by DGMO in Indian Armed Forces' Operation Sindoor briefing

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army, lauded Team India batter Virat Kohli following his retirement from Test cricket. Lt Gen Ghai drew a parallel with cricket, using Kohli’s name as a reference during a press conference on Operation Sindoor in New Delhi.

Virat Kohli has retired from Test cricket, ending his 14-year career in the game's longest format. Kohli established himself as a standout performer both with the bat and as captain across different pitches and opponents. He took to Instagram to share the news of his retirement from the longest format of the game.

Virat Kohli Is My Favourite Cricketer as Well - Rajiv Ghai

During a press briefing in New Delhi on Monday, Rajiv Ghai highlighted Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket. Rajiv described India’s air defense capabilities by drawing a comparison with cricket.

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"Today, perhaps we should also talk about cricket, as I noticed that Virat Kohli has retired from Test cricket. Like many Indians, he is my favourite cricketer as well," Lieutenant General Ghai said.

Virat Kohli played 123 matches and scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. Kohli led India in 68 Tests, securing 40 victories with an impressive win percentage of 58.80%. He was instrumental in guiding India to the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) Final.

They Destroyed the English Batting Lineup - Rajiv Ghai

The senior commander then cited the Ashes series from 50 years ago to illustrate the strength of India’s air defense systems. Ghai shared how the Australians’ dominance over England inspired a famous saying: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get you, Lillee must.”

“In the 70s, when I was a school student, during the Ashes series, Australian fast bowlers Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee were very popular."

"They destroyed the English batting lineup, and the Australians came up with a saying: ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get you, Lillee must.’ Our multi-layered defence grid works the same way. Even if most systems are breached, one will shoot them down before they reach their target,” said Rajiv.

Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson's Dominant Pace Attack in the 1974-75 Ashes

The 1974-75 Ashes series is remembered for Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson’s brutal pace attack. They played a key role in Australia’s commanding 4-1 victory over England. Thomson, with his unorthodox slingshot action and raw pace, claimed 33 wickets at an impressive average of 17.93.

Meanwhile, Lillee took 25 wickets at 23.84. Their relentless barrage of short-pitched deliveries left England’s batsmen demoralized. This aggressive approach not only dominated the series but also revolutionized fast bowling in Test cricket. This was the beginning of pace and intimidation in the game’s strategy.

Rajiv Ghai led a special press briefing addressing India’s response to airstrikes from Pakistan. Ghai shared the outcomes of Operation Sindoor, along with Vice Admiral AN Pramod, Director General of Naval Operations, and Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations.

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