Dhoni is cricket’s Federer, Virat Kohli comparable to Alcaraz: Sanju Samson
Samson drew comparisons between tennis and cricket legends as the world’s top tennis stars prepare to battle for glory at Wimbledon.
“The Roger Federer of cricket? It has to be MS Dhoni. He is so calm and collected when he is doing his job. When he performs, he looks effortless yet very powerful,” Samson told JioStar.
“Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is very explosive, just like Virat bhai started. Maybe Virat Kohli can be compared to Alcaraz. He is very aggressive and full of power and explosiveness.”
India made history when the women’s team won their first ODI World Cup, followed by the men’s team lifting the T20 World Cup on home soil within a few months.
Samson, who scored consecutive fifty-plus runs during India’s victorious campaign and was named Player of the Tournament, said the women’s team’s success inspired the men.
Samson, who was selected as the Player of the Tournament, said, “We were all watching the final. My family members and everyone were in front of the television. It was a special moment for all of us in the country. We have been waiting for this for a long time.” “We knew we could win the World Cup but we were so close and yet so far away. I was so happy for all the players in the team. There was a lot of hard work behind it and so many great stories within the team. It’s a proud moment for all of us.
“I think the standards were set very high for us. They won the World Cup and put us on a stage where we felt we could do the same in India. It was a great moment to have both World Cups happen in India and for us to win them. So yes, that victory definitely played a part.”
The Indian women’s team is currently competing in the T20 World Cup in England and will next face six-time champions Australia.
Addressing the challenges posed by Australia, Samson said: “We have great respect for the Australian team. I think the reason we respect them so much is because they were the most dominant country in cricket when we were growing up.
“It seemed like every World Cup was won by Australia. But I think the roles have changed now. We are champions and we play and compete with the same attitude. So yes, there is a lot of respect for them as competitors.”
Former Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna also shared his predictions for the men’s and women’s singles titles at Wimbledon.
“This is a very difficult question; the field is very open. But in the men’s tournament, I have to choose the defending champion Jannik Sinner. Among the women, I would choose Elena Rybakina,” he said.
Referring to the importance of Wimbledon, Bopanna said: “Wimbledon is a magical dream because I grew up just watching it. When we returned home, we would only watch Wimbledon. In fact, television was only broadcasting Wimbledon.
“So for me, it was absolutely amazing to go there and not only be there, but also play on those courts. I also played at a time when three of the greatest tennis players of our generation were competing, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.”
“Sharing the locker rooms with them and being there was actually better than a dream.”
