Former Indian cricketers Atul Wassan, Sarandeep Singh, and Rohit Sharma’s former coach Dinesh Lad came to the defense of the Indian skipper after Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed made remarks about his fitness on social media, which she later deleted.
“He is a World Cup-winning captain, and currently the team is playing the ICC Champions Trophy…Her remarks should not be taken seriously as she doesn’t understand match fitness and what kind of captain he is,” Wassan told media.
Dinesh Lad also dismissed the claims, emphasizing Rohit’s recent performances.
“It is a very wrong statement. If Rohit was unfit, then he wouldn’t have fielded and batted in the way he is doing right now. He recently scored a century against England. Rohit can score a century in every match, but he wants to play for the team,” Lad said.
Former selector Sarandeep Singh also praised Rohit’s fitness.
“Rohit doesn’t look unfit from anywhere. He is performing brilliantly in the recent few times where we have seen him doing good fielding and diving in the pitch. He is very fit. We all are proud of what Rohit Sharma is doing currently,” Singh said.
Shama Mohamed’s comments sparked criticism from BJP leaders as well. Congress later distanced itself from her remarks, clarifying that they did not reflect the party’s stance.
Congress leader Pawan Khera addressed the issue on X, stating, “Shama Mohammed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party’s position. She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future.”
He further added, “The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy.”
In her now-deleted post, Shama Mohamed had commented on Rohit Sharma’s fitness, stating, “@ImRo45 is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!”
After facing backlash, she removed the post and defended her statement in an interview with media.
“It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that. I have been attacked for no reason. When I compared him with previous captains, I put in a statement. I have the right. What is wrong in saying that? It is a democracy,” she said.