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.

5. Rahul Tripathi – Ajay Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi‘s father, Ajay, is a retired Colonel who served in the Indian Army and played U-22 cricket for Uttar Pradesh in the early 1980s. Born into an army household, Rahul’s early life saw frequent relocations due to his father’s postings, including a stint in Srinagar. Colonel Tripathi, originally from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, later moved to Maharashtra due to his service. Despite his army duties, he regularly supported his son’s cricketing aspirations. Rahul often accompanied his parents to the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Pune, showing support towards soldiers who had sacrificed for the nation.

The 34-year-old made his international debut in 2023 against Sri Lanka in Pune and has so far featured in five T20Is. He has been playing in the IPL since 2017, and has hammered 2291 runs in 100 matches. In the recent IPL 2025, playing for Chennai Super Kings, Rahul scored 55 runs in five innings. 

4. Ekta Bisht – Kundan Singh Bisht

Ekta Bisht, one of India’s finest left-arm spinners, is the daughter of Kundan Singh Bisht, a retired Havaldar of the Indian Army and a Kargil War veteran. After retiring from the army in 1988, Kundan Singh received a pension of just INR 1500, which was barely enough to support his family. To fund Ekta’s dreams, he opened a small tea stall in Almora. Despite financial constraints, the family supported Ekta, who began playing cricket at the age of six.

Ekta made her India debut in 2011 and went on to become the first Indian to register a five-wicket haul in a Women’s World Cup, achieving it against Pakistan in 2017 with figures of 5/18. The 39-year-old currently plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore Women in the WPL (Women’s Premier League) and last played for India in 2022.

3. Dhruv Jurel – Chand Jurel

India’s young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, currently part of the Test squad in the five-match series against England, is the son of Nem Chand Jurel, who is a retired Havildar in the Indian Army and a Kargil War veteran. Nem Chand also dreamt of seeing his son join the Army through the NDA. Notably. The right-handed batter for a period prepared for the NDA, but was not able to focus too much as his main attention and passion were towards the game. Notably, Jurel made an emotional salute after scoring his maiden Test fifty against England in Ranchi in 2024.

2. Mithali Raj – Dorai Raj

The face of Indian women’s cricket for over two decades, Mithali Raj, played a huge role in taking the nation’s name on the world map in women’s cricket. However, she comes from an Air Force family, with her father, Dorai Raj, a retired Air Force warrant officer.

Concerned about Mithali‘s routine as a child, Dorai began taking her along to her brother’s cricket coaching sessions. The former’s father’s role was crucial in making her a successful cricketer. With 7805 runs in WODIs, she remains the highest run-getter in the format. Notably, Mithali announced her retirement on 8th June 2022.

1. Suresh Raina – Trilokchand Raina:

Former Indian middle-order batter Suresh Raina, who was part of the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning squads, comes from a military family. The cricketer’s late father, Trilokchand Raina, was a military officer who worked in an ordnance factory, specialising in bomb-making. Notably, his elder brother also serves in the Army.

Originally from Rainawari in Jammu and Kashmir, the Raina family was forced to migrate to Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, during the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. Raina’s cricketing journey began at the Guru Gobind Singh Sports College in Lucknow in 1998, and he went on to score over 5,000 runs in ODIs. After retiring from international cricket in 2020, he has successfully transitioned into commentary. In 2022, Raina lost his father to cancer.