Republic Day Special: 5 Indian cricketers with an army connection ft. Sachin Tendulkar
India celebrated its 75th Republic Day on January 26, 2024. The country's constitution came into effect on this day in 1950.
Serving the army is a job that comes with a lot of pride and responsibility, as does representing your country as a cricketer.
In this article, we will look at five Indian cricketers with an army connection:
#1 Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction; he is arguably the greatest cricketer of all time and holds a vast majority of batting records in ODIs as well as Tests. Sachin joined the Indian Air Force in 2010 with the rank of group captain.
He became the first person without an aviation background to receive this honor and the first sportsperson to be conferred this honorary rank. The legendary batter has since become the face of the Indian Air Force for the youth.
#2 MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni is the most successful captain for the Men in Blue, having won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. He has also led the Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles.
In 2011, Dhoni was awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel with the Indian Territorial Army. In 2019, he served in the army for a couple of weeks as he was posted in Jammu and Kashmir.
#3 Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev was the 1983 World Cup-winning captain. The legendary cricketer was the first Indian to lift the World Cup trophy. Kapil was part of the great all-rounder quartet of the 1980s, which included Imran Khan, Ian Botham, and Richard Hadlee.
The 65-year-old joined the Territorial Army in 2008 and was later conferred the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the army.
#4 CK Nayudu
CK Nayudu was the nation's first Test captain. He holds the record for having the longest career in first-class cricket, spanning 47 years from 1916 to 1963. Often regarded as the first great cricketer produced by the nation, Nayudu scored 11,825 runs in first-class cricket.
CK Nayudu was awarded the rank of Colonel in Holkar's Army in 1923, almost a decade before he made his international debut against England in 1932. This led to him being nicknamed "Colonel" in the cricket circle.
#5 Hemu Adhikari
Hemu Adhikari was a spin-bowling all-rounder. He played 21 Test matches for the Men in Blue in the late 1940s and 1950s. Adhikari was also the coach of the side that won the first-ever Test series in England in 1971.
Unlike most players on this list, he had an army connection before making his international debut in 1947. He served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the army during the Second World War, which is why his Test debut was delayed until 1947.