Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. General Rajiv Ghai on Monday praised India’s air defence system by referencing cricket legends from the 1974-75 Ashes series. He also named Virat Kohli as his favorite cricketer, who announced his retirement from Test cricket the same day.

Speaking at a press briefing alongside Air Marshal A.K. Bharti and Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, Lt. Gen. Ghai used the iconic fast-bowling duo Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee to explain the multi-layered Indian air defence grid that intercepted enemy drones during recent escalations with Pakistan.

“In the 1970s, Australia had two great fast bowlers – Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee – who dominated England in the Ashes. They used to say, ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get ya, Lillee surely must,’” Ghai said. “That’s how our air defence grid is structured — if one layer doesn’t get you, the next one will.”

He added, “I thought it was worth talking about cricket today too, because Virat Kohli has retired from Test cricket. Like many Indians, he’s also my favorite player.”

The comment came during a discussion on India’s robust air defence operations in response to recent Pakistani drone and missile attacks, highlighting the system’s efficiency in defending against multiple aerial threats.