March 3rd 2025.
The recent comments made by Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma have sparked controversy and caused an uproar on social media. Shama's remarks, in which she called Rohit 'fat' and labeled him as the 'most unimpressive' captain India has ever had, were deemed distasteful and unacceptable by many, including Sports Minister Mansukh Madaviya.
During the New Zealand Champions Trophy Group A clash on Sunday, Shama took to social media platform X to express her views on Rohit's physique and performance. However, her comments triggered a huge backlash from all quarters and led the Congress party to direct Shama to delete her post. In response, the Sports Minister issued a statement calling for political leaders to leave athletes alone and not indulge in body-shaming or questioning their place in the team.
The minister's post on X read, "Congress and TMC should leave sportspersons alone as they are fully capable of handling their professional lives. Remarks made by leaders from these parties, indulging in body shaming and questioning an athlete’s place in the team, are not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic. Such comments undermine the hard work and sacrifices that our sportspersons make to represent the country on the global stage."
In the ongoing tournament, Rohit remains the only top-order Indian batter who is yet to score a half-century, while other players like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer have been performing exceptionally well. Despite this, Rohit has contributed 76 runs across three innings at an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 111.76, with a highest score of 68.
In their last match against New Zealand, India secured a 44-run victory thanks to an impressive five-wicket haul by Varun Chakaravarthy. This win solidified India's position at the top of Group A, and they will now face Australia in the first semifinal in Dubai on Tuesday. Meanwhile, New Zealand will take on South Africa in the other semifinal in Lahore on Wednesday.
Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad also shared the Sports Minister's sentiments and called Shama's comments pathetic. He emphasized the importance of showing respect to Rohit, who has served the country for many years and led the team to a T-20 WC win just eight months ago. Prasad's post on X read, "Rohit has maintained great dignity as a captain, led us to a T-20 WC win 8 months back, and in the middle of an ICC tournament, body-shaming him is absolutely pathetic and uncalled for. Should have some respect for a person who has achieved through his skills and leadership for so many years."
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