Remember Who Started the War: How Rajiv Ghai’s Cricket Analogy Fits Op Sindoor

Rajiv Ghai's mention of 1970s' Ashes wasn't just nostalgia. It resembled India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.

Making sense of the cricket analogy used by the DGMO of India, Lieutenant Rajiv Ghai

(Photo: X)

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army, addressed the media with a rather unexpected cricket analogy today. Departing from standard military discourse, he drew parallels between India’s multi-layered air defence system — claimed as virtually impregnable — and the menacing Australian bowling pair of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.

Ghai remarked:

Targeting our airfields and logistics is way too tough. I think I should make a cricket reference. I saw Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket today. Like most Indians, he is also one of my favourite cricketers. In the 70s, when I was a school student, Australia and England were playing the Ashes. At the time, two of Australia’s great pacers — Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee — were very popular. They destroyed the English batting lineup, and the Australians came up with a saying: ‘From Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo doesn’t get you, Lillee must.’ If you look at our multi-layered defence grid, you will realise that it works in the same manner. Even if they breach most systems, one will shoot them down before they reach their target.

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, DGMO of the Indian Army

Ghai's reference harks back to the 1974–75 Ashes series, and it resembles — on multiple levels — how the Indian Army has carried out Operation Sindoor, since 7 May.

How? Let us take a deep dive.

How the ‘War of Bouncers’ Began

Firstly, let us know the details of the match Ghai had referred to:

• Date of Commencement — 29 November 1974

• Venue — Gabba, Brisbane

• Series — The Ashes

England were the holders of the Ashes, having retained the urn two years ago at home. But they weren’t prepared for the fire and brimstone of the Ian Chappell-led Australians on their turf. On a Brisbane wicket that offered plenty to the fast bowlers, the likes of Bob Willis and Mike Hendrick trusted their pace and bowlers to the hilt. It marked the inception of what was coined — War of Bouncers.

What triggered one of the most iconic spells of world cricket, however, was a fiery bouncer by Tony Grieg to Dennis Lillee. The red cherry was aimed right at Lillee’s head.

Searing. Scorching. Stinging.

Lillee could do very little, except glove it to wicketkeeper Alan Knott. Except, on his way back to the dressing room, he served Grieg with a stern prognostication.

“Just remember who started this.”

Australia were dismissed for 309.

Fuming, seething, Lillee warned his captain, Chappell:

“Just remember who started this. It was those b*stards. But we’ll finish it.”

The Art of Destruction

Chappell, understandably, sported a clueless look, for he was not privy to the Grieg-Lillee skirmish. Albeit, he knew better to realise something had vexed Lillee, and that his rage could be used in the team’s cause.

Out came the English openers — Dennis Amiss and Brian Luckhurst — and they found Lillee waiting with the ball at his hand, stationed nearly at the boundary.

For context, Lillee, till then, was not the pacer with the most frequent deployments of bouncer. Yet, on that occasion, he bowled his best bouncers. Still unaware of the details but having sensed something had irked his bowlers, Chappell used Jeff Thomson — a tall, naturally aggressive pacer — from the other end, despite Australia’s designated new-ball bowler being Max Walker.

What ensued was a barrage of blistering bouncers, leaving the English batters in insufferable pain. Such was the venom in Lillee and Thomson’s deliveries that Keith Miller revealed he was left frightened for his life, and he was sitting at the commentary box!

Beyond what the scorecard suggested, the report card of Lillee and Thomson’s chaotic destruction read:

• Mike Denness — Got his Saint Christopher pendant embedded in his chest by a bouncer

• John Edrich — Had his hand broken

• Dennis Amiss — Had his thumb shattered

Winning the Psychological Warfare

In reality, England still managed to score 265, and trailed by only 44 runs. Yet, the psychological toll on England was profound. David Lloyd, who had performed admirably against India months earlier, was visibly shaken — literally, physically quivering — after facing the Australian pacers. Denness described Lloyd's post-innings state as "shell-shocked."

The fear instilled was so pervasive that even Greig, who was usually unflustered, proposed wearing a motorcycle helmet for protection, when helmets would arrive in cricket three years later.

England lost that series 1-4, with their only victory coming in the last Test, where Thomson did not feature and Lillee injured himself after bowling just six overs. The Ashes went to the Aussies.

Whilst leaving Australia, one of the English players told Denness that he was elated to “get out alive,” even though he acknowledged not many got out in one piece.

A cartoon in the Sydney Daily Telegraph encapsulated the series' brutality with the caption: "Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, if Thomson don't get ya, Lillee must."

Throughout the series, Lillee reminded his English counterparts, "Just remember who started this." He later reflected, "People remember who did the damage, not who started the fire."

From Dennis Lillee to Rajiv Ghai

Albeit Ghai did not explicitly mention the details, his comment had a thematic connection to Lillee, as if he, much like Aussie great, was repeatedly reminding his opposition — Pakistan, in this case — “Just remember who started this.”

Besides that, India’s air defence system has resembled Australia’s attack of Lillee and Thomson, boasting:

• Long-Range Defence: The S-400 Triumf missile system, deployed as the first line of defence, can neutralise threats up to 400 kilometres away.

• Medium-Range Defence: The Akash missile system can neutralise threats within a 25-30 kilometres range.

• Short-Range Defence: With L-70, ZU-23mm, and Schilka, the Indian air defence system is also clinical in terms of close protection against low-flying threats.

• Ballistic Missile Defence Programme: Working as the fourth layer, it ensures the multi-layered system remains impregnable.

Remember Who Started This

With India's own defence system projected as invulnerable, and aggressive systems scrupulous, Ghai might have resonated with Lillee. For, since 7 May, the Indian Armed Forces have engaged in relentless execution of Operation Sindoor, engaging in military action against Pakistan, not as an out-of-the-blue, unjustifiable act, but following the attack on tourists at Pahalgam on 22 April.

As if to say to his opponents:

“You must remember who started this. For, the people will remember those who did the damage, not the ones who started it.”