'Fat for a sportsman': Congress leader takes a jibe at Rohit Sharma, BJP reminds them of 90 election losses

Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed has stirred controversy with her remarks on Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, questioning his fitness and leadership following India's decisive victory against New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.

Taking to social media platform X late Sunday, Mohamed labeled Sharma “fat” and called him a “mediocre captain.” She further questioned his abilities compared to cricketing legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kapil Dev.

“Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Needs to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!” Mohamed wrote in a post. She continued in another, saying, “What is so world-class about him when compared to his predecessors like Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid, Dhoni, Kohli, Kapil Dev, Shastri & the rest? He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the captain of India.”

Her remarks sparked a strong backlash from cricket fans and political figures alike. Responding to the criticism, Mohamed defended her stance, questioning Sharma’s decision-making during crucial matches. She cited his move to promote himself as an opener during India’s Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which she claimed led to KL Rahul’s demotion and Shubman Gill’s exclusion from the playing XI.

“Didn't he move KL Rahul to bat at number 3 at the MCG Test & put himself at number 1 which backfired totally! Wasn't that a selfish move? Because of that, Shubman Gill was out of the XI. Didn't we lose the last World Cup which took place in Ahmedabad? I have compared him to our previous captains,” she wrote.

Congress fat-shames Rohit Sharma: BJP hits back

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to hit back, with spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla taking a dig at the Congress party’s electoral record. “Those who have lost 90 elections under the captaincy of Rahul Gandhi are calling the captaincy of Rohit Sharma unimpressive!” Poonawalla remarked.

He further defended Sharma’s credentials, highlighting his recent success. “I guess six ducks in Delhi and 90 election losses is impressive, but winning the T20 World Cup isn’t! Rohit has a brilliant track record as captain, by the way!”

Meanwhile, on the field, India continued their strong form in the Champions Trophy, securing a 44-run victory over New Zealand to top Group A. Shreyas Iyer’s composed 79-run innings and Varun Chakravarthy’s five-wicket haul helped India set up a semifinal clash against Australia.