Dashing Indian opening batter Sanju Samson has showered praise on the Indian talismanic batter Virat Kohli, stating that the current Indian crop of players is very lucky to have him in the dressing room.
Samson, who is currently playing the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, added that everyone definitely benefits from the way Kohli puts up his performances, calling him a great inspiration for players like him.
“I think we are very, very fortunate to have someone like him. Whenever he scores runs, whenever he turns up to practice or play a game of cricket for our country, I think it’s a great inspiration for people like us still playing for the Indian national team. Everyone definitely benefits from the way he puts in the performances. So, I’m very happy,” Samson said.
Samson’s words of praise came after Kohli scored an unbeaten 139 in the Thiruvananthapuram ODI against the West Indies, which India won by eight wickets. In the process, the talismanic batter also reached the 15000-run milestone in ODIs.
Additionally, Samson hailed the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket for playing a pivotal role in India playing multiple teams at the same time across formats. It’s important to note that while India is playing ODIs against the West Indies at home, the T20I side is in Japan for the Asian Games. On the other hand, India A and India U19 sides are playing against their Australian counterparts.
“It’s a known fact nowadays how strong Indian cricket has grown over the last so many years. There has been constant effort. Definitely, the IPL plays a huge role, but I feel our domestic cricket is also playing a huge role. We have been constantly making great efforts to go out and play all the domestic matches whenever we get a chance, and that’s where we tend to develop a lot of talent,” he added.
