India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt. General Rajiv Ghai, brought together cricket and defence during a press briefing on Monday, explaining India’s air defence grid with a famous reference from the 1974-75 Ashes series.

He highlighted India’s layered drone interception system using an iconic quote: “If Thommo don’t get ya, Lillee surely must,” originally coined to describe the brutal pace duo of Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee, who dismantled England’s batting in that series.

Ghai said, “In the 1970s, Australia’s fast bowlers Thomson and Lillee overwhelmed the English side. The phrase became legendary – ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get ya, Lillee surely must.’ That’s exactly how our air defence works — if one layer misses, another gets the job done.”

He also reflected on Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, calling him his favourite player. “Like many Indians, he’s mine too,” said Ghai, acknowledging Kohli’s impact after a 14-year career.

The DGMO’s remarks came as India revealed its successful interception of multiple drones during escalated tensions with Pakistan, underscoring the efficacy of its multi-layered air defence system.