Sanju Samson hails MS Dhoni as ‘Roger Federer of cricket’

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has drawn parallels between MS Dhoni and tennis legend Roger Federer, while also comparing the mercurial Virat Kohli to hotshot Carlos Alcaraz.

Speaking in promotion for Wimbledon 2026, Samson stated that both Dhoni and Federer play their respective sports in an effortless manner, while drawing parallels between the aggression and explosiveness shown on the field by Kohli and Alcaraz. Federer has won the most titles at Wimbledon, winning the championship a record eight times. Alcaraz, who has lifted the prestigious trophy twice, is ruled out of the 2026 edition with a wrist injury

“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. 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,” Samson said while speaking to JioStar.

Samson made his much-awaited switch to the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2026 season of the IPL, where he shared the dressing room with the legendary Dhoni. Before the start of the IPL, Samson had a dominant T20 World Cup campaign, where he won the Player of the Tournament award for scoring 321 runs in five matches, averaging 80.25 and striking at 199.37 as India lifted the title.

Samson made match-defining contributions in India’s final three games. He scored an unbeaten 97 to guide India home against the West Indies in the final game of the Super 8s stage, before making identical scores of 89 in the semifinals and finals as India posted totals of over 250 against England and New Zealand.

In his first season in the Super Kings’ yellow, Samson was the five-time champions’ best batter, scoring 477 runs in 14 games, averaging 43.36 and striking at 165.62. He scored two centuries as well, against the Delhi Capitals and arch-rivals, the Mumbai Indians. He will be in action for India in the three-match T20I series against Ireland and England, set to commence in early July.