Sanju Samson names Roger Federer of MS Dhoni cricket, compares Virat Kohli to…

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli (PTI Photo) As the tennis world prepares for another edition of Wimbledon, Indian wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson has drawn interesting parallels between some of cricket’s greatest icons and modern tennis stars, while reflecting on India’s recent World Cup success and the challenge posed by Australia.Ahead of the grass major, Samson was asked which cricketer most resembled tennis legend Roger Federer. The Kerala batsman immediately pointed to former India captain MS Dhoni and cited the effortless elegance and poise that defined both sporting greats.“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 but it is very powerful,” Samson told JioStar.Samson also saw similarities between Virat Kohli and Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, which highlighted the aggressive and dynamic nature of their games.“Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is very explosive, similar to how Virat bhai started. Maybe Virat Kohli can be compared to Alcaraz. He is very aggressive and full of power and explosiveness.”The India batsman also looked back at a milestone in Indian cricket when the women’s team lifted their first ODI World Cup before the men’s side followed it up with a T20 World Cup triumph on home soil a few months later.“We all watched the final. My family members and everyone else were glued to the television. It was a special moment for all of us in the country. We were waiting for it for a long time,” said Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament.“We knew we were capable of winning the World Cup, but even though we were so close, we were very far away. I was very happy for all the players in the team. There was so much hard work behind it and so many great stories in the team itself. It was a proud moment for all of us.”“I think the bar was set very high for us. They won the World Cup and it got us to a stage where we felt we could do the same in India. It was a great moment that both World Cups were in India and we won them. So yes, that win definitely played a role.”With the Indian women’s team currently competing in the T20 World Cup in England and preparing to face six-time champions Australia, Samson acknowledged the legacy of the Australian side while noting how India’s position has changed over the years.“There’s a lot of respect for the Australian team. I think the reason we respect them so much is because 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’re the champions and we play and compete with the same attitude. So yes, there’s a lot of respect for them as an opponent.”Former Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna also weighed in on Wimbledon, naming defending champion Jannik Sinner as his favorite for the men’s singles and Elena Rybakina as his favorite for the women’s title.“That’s such a tough question, the field is so open. But I have to go with defending champion Jannik Sinner in the men’s tournament. Among the women, I’d pick Elena Rybakina,” he said.Bopanna also spoke about the special place Wimbledon holds in his career and memories.“Wimbledon is a magical dream because that’s all I grew up watching. We only watched Wimbledon at home. In fact, the TV only showed Wimbledon.“So to go there and not only be there but play on those courts was absolutely amazing. I was also playing at a time when the three greatest tennis players of our generation, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, were competing together.“To share the locker room with them and just be there was better than a dream.