In an analysis of the similarities between cricket and tennis ahead of Wimbledon, India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson compared former captain MS Dhoni to tennis legend Roger Federer and compared Virat Kohli’s explosive style to Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz.
Samson made analogies between the tennis and cricket icons as the world’s best tennis players got ready to compete for victory at Wimbledon.
“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,” PTI quoted Samson telling 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.”
In a span of few months, India made history when the men’s team won the T20 World Cup at home after the women’s team won their first ODI World Cup.
Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s victorious campaign and scored three consecutive fifty-plus runs, claimed that the men were motivated by the women’s team’s victory.
“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, who was named the Player of the Tournament, 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.
“I think the standards were set very high for us. 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.”
The Indian women’s team are scheduled to play Australia, the six-time champions, in the T20 World Cup in England.
Reflecting on the challenge posed by Australia, Samson said: “A lot of respect goes to the Australian team. I think the reason we hold them in such high regard is that they were the most dominant cricketing nation when we were growing up.
“Every World Cup seemed to be won by Australia. But now, I think the roles have reversed. We are the champions, and we play and compete with the same attitude. So, yes, there is a lot of respect for them as an opponent.”
