NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of Indian men's cricket team, and his former teammates Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina were at the forefront as the Indian cricket fraternity—past and present—rose in unison to salute the country’s armed forces for Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The military operation was carried out in the intervening night of May 6 and 7 across nine high-value terror locations, in what officials described as a “calculated, restrained yet firm” response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives.
Gambhir, former India opener and noted commentator Aakash Chopra, and Pragyan Ojha were among the first to commend the Indian armed forces publicly. All three posted patriotic messages on social media with a caption of “Jai Hind”.
Harbhajan Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, also hailed Operation Sindoor in his social media post.
"JAI HIND #OperationSindoor is Bharat’s response to the brutal killing of our innocent brothers in Pahalgam, " wrote Harbhajan in his post on X.
Suresh Raina put out a visual representation of the strike in his Instagram story to support the Indian government's retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam.
The show of solidarity wasn’t limited to retired cricketers. Kolkata Knight Riders' spinner Varun Chakravarthy, currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, joined the chorus. He shared the official photograph of the operation on his Instagram story.
Another former India star, seamer Chetan Sharma said Operation Sindoor is not a response to a terror attack but a message for everyone.
"Jab baat suraksha ki ho toh Bharat sankoch nahi karta. "OperationSindoor-ek jawab nahi, ek sandeesh hai (When it is a matter of country's security, India does not hesitate. #OperationSindoor -- Not an answer, but is a message), " he wrote in a post on X.
Former woman cricketer Jhulan Goswami also hailed India's response to the terror attack.
"Precision. Purpose. Power. That’s how India answers. #OperationSindoor, " she wrote in a post on X.
According to Indian defense officials, all nine terror targets hit during the operation were affiliated with internationally banned outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Strikes were executed with precision to avoid civilian casualties or damage to Pakistani military assets, underscoring India’s commitment to a restrained but resolute counter-terrorism policy.
This calculated offensive came after detailed intelligence gathering, and government sources have stressed that the operation was not just a show of strength, but also a message of accountability. The strategic aim was to neutralize high-value targets without dragging the region into further conflict.
The 'Operation Sindoor’, came 14 days after the terrorist attack in the tourist resort of Baisaran in Pahalgam, in which suspects are believed to have links with Pakistan.
The operation has ignited a strong wave of nationalistic pride nationwide, with hashtags like #OperationSindoor, #JaiHind, and #IndianArmy trending on social media.