6 Indian cricketers whose fathers served in the Army

Cricket in India is seen as more than just a sport. While many Indian cricketers have been honoured with prestigious ranks in the armed forces for their achievements, there is a lesser-known fact that some of these players come from families with military backgrounds.

Their fathers have served in the Armed Forces. These unsung heroes have dedicated their lives to protecting the pride of the nation, often under extreme conditions. While fans widely celebrate these cricketers for their on-field brilliance, not many know about their upbringing in defence households.

Iconic cricketers like MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and several others have been publicly honoured by the Indian Armed Forces with honorary ranks. However, there are not many talks about those whose fathers have served the nation through the Armed forces. On that note, here is look at six such Indian cricketers whose fathers have served in the Armed Forces.

6. Deepak Chahar - Lokendrasingh Chahar

Indian pacer Deepak Chahar owes much of his cricketing success to the support of his father, Lokendrasingh Chahar, a retired officer from the Indian Air Force. Deepak was mentored and guided by his father from an early age.

Lokendrasingh, who once played cricket himself, wanted his son to become a swing bowler. He curated Deepak’s training routines, making him bowl over 500 deliveries daily, half inswingers, half outswingers. That effort paid off in 2019, when Deepak grabbed headlines with a 6/7 against Bangladesh in a T20I, still the best figures in men’s T20I history amongst full member teams. Deepak’s cousin Rahul Chahar is also a professional cricketer who has represented India in white-ball formats. Together, they come up from Lokendrasingh's academy in Agra.