Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma© AFP
Former Indian cricket team fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad was extremely critical of Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed over her comments about Rohit Sharma. During India’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against New Zealand, she took to social media to call Rohit ‘fat’. “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had,” Shama wrote in a post which she deleted later. However, the comments from Shama Mohamed resulted in a massive backlash and Prasad went to call them “absolutely pathetic” and “uncalled for”.
“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,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
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… pic.twitter.com/0FoGGYxpAa
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) March 3, 2025
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma’s childhood coach Dinesh Lad said making fat-shaming comments on the Indian captain “damages the image of the country”.
Shama’s comments on Rohit triggered strong reactions from all quarters, and the issue snowballed into a big controversy, which led the Congress party to direct Shama to delete her social media post on Rohit.
“A cricketer who is doing so well for the nation, under whom the team is playing very well. Such comments against that player are not at all good. By this, you are also damaging the country’s image. This is really shameful,” Lad told IANS.
So far in the ongoing tournament. Rohit remains to be the only top order Indian batter who is yet to score a half-century, with Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer firing in top form. The 37-year-old has accumulated 76 runs across three innings.
(With IANS inputs)
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