Shama Mohamed sparked a controversy with a tweet that criticized Rohit Sharma’s fitness, calling him ‘fat’ and further claiming that he is the most ‘unimpressive’ Indian skipper ever.
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh slammed Congress leader Shama Mohamed over her controversial remarks on Rohit Sharma’s fitness amid the Men in Blue’s campaign at the Champions Trophy 2025.
Shama Mohamed sparked a controversy with a tweet that criticized Rohit Sharma’s fitness, calling him ‘fat’ and further claiming that he is the most ‘unimpressive’ Indian skipper ever. After a massive outrage by a section of Indian cricket fans and former cricketers, the Congress leader deleted the tweet. However, the screenshot of the tweet went viral on social media.
"@ImRo45 is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And, of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had." Shama Mohamed wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
In another tweet, Shama Mohamed further criticized Rohit Sharma by calling him ‘mediocre’ player while comparing him to other Indian captains, including the likes of Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, and MS Dhoni. She further stated that Rohit was ‘lucky’ to have gotten an opportunity to captain Team India.
“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.” Congress leader.
Shama Mohamed’s criticism over Rohit Sharma’s fitness and leadership sparked backlash from fans and former cricketers, with many calling her remarks disrespectful. Harbhajan Singh became the latest to condemn her comments. In a video shared by ANI on its X handle (formerly Twitter), the former Indian spinner defended Rohit Sharma against fitness criticism, highlighting his contributions as a player and captain. He further added that Rohit's selection as Indian captain proves his fitness, as players have to go through rigorous training to meet the fitness standards.
"Whatever has been said about Rohit Sharma - I want to tell her that he is such a player who has served the country so much, and he is still leading the team well... I don't think anyone has this right to talk about his fitness.” Harbhajan Singh said.
“Had his fitness been not good, he wouldn't have been part of the team, but he is there and that too as a captain. There are many levels of fitness that you need to pass to come into the team.” he added.
Watch: Harbhajan Singh slams Shama Mohamed
Congress itself distanced themselves from Shama Mohamed’s controversial remarks on Rohit Sharma’s fitness, with senior leader of the party Pawan Khera took his X handle (formerly Twitter) and stated that Shama was asked to delete the tweet and warned her to be cautious in the future.
However, Shama Mohamed defended her criticism on Rohit Sharma’s fitness, stated that it was a generic tweet and not body-shaming the Indian skipper, adding that she expressed her views as a democratic citizen.
“It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. 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? It is a democracy.” she said in an ANI interview.
‘Don’t speak without knowing the facts’: Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh asked Shama Mohamed whether she knows any fitness standards that are set in the Indian team. He further added that the Congress leader should not speak without knowing the facts.
“I want to ask her if she is a fitness coach, BCCI president or if she is related to any sport so that she knows about fitness. She is comparing him (Rohit Sharma) with a player who is still in the team.” former Indian spinner said.
“I think she doesn't know the parameters of fitness. Without knowing the facts, I don't think anyone should talk... We should look towards Rohit Sharma's contributions." he concluded.
Meanwhile, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India remained unbeaten in the group stage and finished on top of the Group A points. The Men in Blue will take on Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday, March 4.
