India had its 75th Republic Day on January 26, 2024. The country’s rules started on that day in 1950. Being in the army or playing cricket for your country are both big responsibilities.
Let’s learn about five Indian cricketers who have a connection to the army.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is a famous cricketer. Many people think he’s the best cricketer ever. He has lots of records for batting in one-day and test cricket matches. In 2010, he got a special rank in the Indian Air Force, even though he didn’t have any experience in flying planes. He’s the first person from outside the Air Force to get this rank and the first sports player too. Now, he’s like a symbol for the Air Force, especially for young people.
2. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is the best captain for the Indian cricket team. He won the T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013. He also led the Chennai Super Kings to win the IPL five times.
In 2011, Dhoni was made an honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army. In 2019, he spent a few weeks in Jammu and Kashmir serving in the army.
3. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev won the 1983 World Cup as captain. He was the first Indian to do so. Kapil was a famous cricketer in the 1980s. He played alongside other great all-rounders like Imran Khan, Ian Botham, and Richard Hadlee.
In 2008, when he was 65 years old, Kapil Dev joined the Territorial Army. Later, the army made him a Lieutenant Colonel.
4. CK Nayudu
CK Nayudu was India’s first Test captain. He played cricket for a very long time, 47 years from 1916 to 1963. Many people think he was India’s first great cricketer. Nayudu scored 11,825 runs in first-class cricket.
In 1923, he was made a Colonel in Holkar’s Army, which was a big deal. He got this title almost ten years before he played his first international match against England in 1932. Because of this, people in cricket started calling him “Colonel”.
5. Hemu Adhikari
Hemu Adhikari was a cricketer who was good at both spinning the ball and batting. He played 21 important cricket matches for India in the late 1940s and 1950s. Adhikari also coached the team that won the first series of cricket matches ever played in England in 1971.
Unlike many other players, Adhikari had a job in the army before he started playing cricket for India. He was a Lieutenant Colonel during World War II. Because of his army duties, he couldn’t start playing for the national team until 1947.
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