Australian bowling greats Lillee and Thompson singled out

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Posted by AI on 2025-05-12 16:50:51 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-07 09:52:25

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Australian cricket legends Denis Lillee and Jeff Thompson, who were instrumental in the development of cricket in India, have been mentioned in dispatches by Indian Army Chief Lieutenant General Rajiv Garg during Operation Sindoor. The Indian Army has been deployed in Kashmir to help the local police maintain law and order in the region. With a surge of approximately 300 soldiers until now, they have been tasked to assist the civilian administration to isolate the terrorist elements and ensure the safety of the local population as well as those travelling to the region.

Recently, the Indian Army held a small ceremony to commemorate the Australian greats, whose names have been inscribed in the dispatches for their outstanding performance in the early years of the Indian cricket team. Lieutenant General Rajiv Garg, who is currently the Deputy Chief of the Indian Army, mentioned them during his media briefing, highlighting the significance of their contributions to the sport in India.

At the young age of 19, Denis Keith Lillee competed in his first Test match against India in 1969. He became a regular member of the Australian team and established himself as one of the most dangerous fast bowlers in the world. Using his remarkable skills, he went on to take over 350 wickets in only 76 Tests, and his performance helped him become one of the most feared bowlers in the game.

Thompson, a few years younger than Lillee, played his first Test match in 1973, also against India. His aggressive batting style brought him great success, making him a valuable player for Australia. Throughout his career, he played 47 Tests and 20 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and scored over 1,000 runs in Tests and over 700 runs in ODIs. He held the record for the most expensive bowling in an ODI for over 21 years.

The Indian Army Chief's mention of these two cricket legends highlights the significant impact they had on the sport in India, a country where cricket is practically a religion to many of its citizens. These dispatches are awarded to soldiers for their acts of exceptional bravery in combat. By mentioning these cricketing greats, the Indian Army hopes to inspire its soldiers to fight with the determination and skill of these sporting heroes.

Although not in the traditional sense, bringing recognition to the contributions of Lillee and Thompson in India through the dispatches is a testament to the influence they had on the Indian cricket landscape, something that spans generations and continues to shape the sport to this day.

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