‘If Thommo don't get ya, Lillee must': Australian cricketers, Virat Kohli mentioned at DGMO briefing
While talking about India's multi-layered counter drone and air defence grid that had thwarted Pakistan's attempts to cause damage to Indian installations, Air Marshal AK Bharti said that all of India's air bases, defence systems and equipment are completely operational, and ready for the next mission. The DGMOs then showed India's defence system with an elaborate diagram, that showed India's multi-layered aerial defence capabilities.
Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General Rajiv Ghai said: 'We had so many layers (of defence): radars, unmanned aerial systems, shoulder-fired weapons behind that. We had vintage air-defence systems, which have been with the Indian armed forces for many years. Then we had modern air defence weapon systems. There was no chance for Pakistan air force to breach through this multi-tiered defence and target any of our airfields or logistics installations.'
While talking about the diagram of India's air defence grid, Lt General Rajiv Ghai then brought up the two Australian cricketers, Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, but not before a hat-tip to his favourite cricketer Virat Kohli, who retired on Monday.
#WATCH | Delhi | DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai says, "Targetting our airfields and logistics is way too tough… I saw that Virat Kohli has just retired from test cricket; he is one of my favourites. In the 1970s, during the Ashes between Australia and England, two… pic.twitter.com/B3egs6IeOA
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
'This diagram reminds me of the Australian team in the 1970s when they played a Test series against England. This was when I was in school. This was in the 1970s. There was a series happening between Australia and England back then. Today maybe it's apt to talk about cricket since Virat Kohli has just retired from Test cricket. Like many Indians, he is my favourite cricketer as well. So, in the 1970s, during the Ashes Test series between Australia and England, two Australian bowlers (Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson) destroyed the batting lineup of England, and then Australia created a proverb — 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don't get ya, then Lillee surely must'. So if you see the layers of our defence grid, you'll understand what I am trying to say. Even if you crossed some layers, one of the layers of this grid system will hit you before you target our airfields or logistical system. Targetting our airfields and logistics is way too tough.'
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