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India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson compared erstwhile skipper M.S. Dhoni to tennis large Roger Federer and likened Virat Kohli's explosive benignant to that of Spanish prima Carlos Alcaraz portion reflecting connected the parallels betwixt cricket and tennis up of Wimbledon.
With the world's finest tennis stars preparing to conflict for glory astatine Wimbledon, Samson drew comparisons betwixt the tennis and cricket legends.
"The Roger Federer of cricket? It has to beryllium MS Dhoni. He is precise calm and composed successful the mode helium goes astir his business. When helium performs, it looks effortless yet precise powerful," Samson told JioStar.
“Carlos Alcaraz, connected the different hand, is precise explosive, overmuch similar however Virat bhai started. Maybe Virat Kohli tin beryllium compared to Alcaraz. He is precise assertive and afloat of powerfulness and explosiveness.”
India scripted past erstwhile the women's squad won its maiden ODI World Cup and the men's broadside followed it up by lifting the T20 World Cup connected location ungraded wrong a span of months.
Samson, who smashed 3 successive fifty-plus scores and was named Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant campaign, said the women team's accomplishment had inspired the men.
"We were each watching the final. My household members and everyone other were glued to the TV. It was a peculiar infinitesimal for each of america successful the country. We had been waiting for it for a agelong time," Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament, said.
"We knew we were susceptible of winning the World Cup, yet portion we were truthful close, we were precise far. I was precise blessed for each the players successful the team. There was truthful overmuch hard enactment down it and truthful galore large stories wrong the squad itself. It was a arrogant infinitesimal for each of us.
"I deliberation the standards were acceptable precise precocious for us. They won the World Cup and enactment america connected a signifier wherever we felt that we could bash the aforesaid successful India. It was a large infinitesimal that some World Cups happened successful India and that we won them. So, yes, that triumph decidedly played a part."
The Indian women's squad is presently competing successful the T20 World Cup successful England and volition adjacent look six-time champions Australia.
Reflecting connected the situation posed by Australia, Samson said: "A batch of respect goes to the Australian team. I deliberation the crushed we clasp them successful specified precocious respect is that they were the astir ascendant cricketing federation erstwhile we were increasing up.
"Every World Cup seemed to beryllium won by Australia. But now, I deliberation the roles person reversed. We are the champions, and we play and vie with the aforesaid attitude. So, yes, determination is simply a batch of respect for them arsenic an opponent."
Former India tennis subordinate Rohan Bopanna besides shared his predictions for the men's and women's singles titles astatine Wimbledon.
"It's specified a pugnacious question; the tract is truthful open. But I person to spell with defending champion Jannik Sinner for the men's tournament. Among women, I would prime Elena Rybakina," helium said.
Talking astir the value of Wimbledon, Bopanna said: "Wimbledon is simply a magical imagination due to the fact that I grew up watching lone that. Back home, we lone utilized to ticker Wimbledon. In fact, tv lone broadcast Wimbledon.
"So, for maine to spell determination and not lone beryllium contiguous but besides play connected those courts was perfectly amazing. I besides played successful an epoch erstwhile the 3 top tennis players of our generation, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, were competing.
"Sharing locker rooms with them and simply being determination was amended than a dream, actually."
