22 June,2026 05:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni (Pic: BCCI)
Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson compared former captain MS Dhoni to tennis legend Roger Federer, while comparing Virat Kohli's passionate approach to that of Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, while discussing similarities between cricket and tennis ahead of Wimbledon.
As the top tennis players around the globe get ready to compete at Wimbledon, Samson shared his thoughts on how these sporting icons mirror each other across sports.
"The Roger Federer of cricket? It has to be MS Dhoni. He is very calm and composed in the way he goes about his business. When he performs, it looks effortless yet very powerful," Indian star Sanju Samson told JioStar.
"Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is very explosive, much like how Virat bhai started. Maybe Virat Kohli can be compared to Alcaraz. He is very aggressive and full of power and explosiveness."
Indian women created history with a maiden ODI World Cup win in 2025. This triumph was followed by the men's team winning the T20 World Cup at home in 2026.
Samson, who played a pivotal role in the men's victory by scoring three consecutive half-centuries to win the Player of the Tournament award, revealed that the women's historic win served as motivation for the men's squad.
"We were all watching the final. My family members and everyone else were glued to the TV. It was a special moment for all of us in the country. We had been waiting for it for a long time," Samson said.
"We knew we were capable of winning the World Cup, yet while we were so close, we were very far. I was very happy for all the players in the team. There was so much hard work behind it and so many great stories within the squad itself. It was a proud moment for all of us," he added.
"They won the World Cup and put us on a stage where we felt that we could do the same in India. It was a great moment that both World Cups happened in India and that we won them. So, yes, that victory definitely played a part." Samson concluded.
(With PTI inputs)
