Mohamed posted a now-deleted tweet on Sunday night, claiming Sharma was ‘fat for a sportsman’ and needed to ‘lose weight’
Photo: X/AFP
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed ignited a social media storm on Sunday night with a controversial post aimed at India captain Rohit Sharma. In her now-deleted post, Mohamed declared that Rohit was 'too fat for a sportsman' and went on to call him 'the most unimpressive captain India has ever had'.
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Shama Mohamed's now-deleted posts on Rohit Sharma
Naturally, the Internet did not take kindly to her unsolicited critique. Fans, cricket experts, and even the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia were quick to condemn her remarks. Mohamed, however, attempted to clarify her stance on Monday, arguing that her comments were 'generic' and further remarked: “What is wrong in saying? It is a democracy…."
“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 told ANI.
This is not the first time the Congress party has found itself embroiled in cricket-related controversies. In 2021, national media coordinator Radhika Khera triggered another social media uproar following a tweet that many perceived as celebrating India’s 10-wicket loss to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.
Shortly after the humiliating defeat, Khera tweeted, “क्यों भक्तों, आ गया स्वाद ? करवा ली बेइज़्ज़ती (So bhakts, got a taste of your own medicine? Managed to get yourselves insulted?)” Outrage ensued, with many accusing her of reveling in India’s downfall. As backlash mounted, Khera scrambled to defend herself, claiming that her words had been 'twisted and turned' and that her post had 'no reference whatsoever to cricket, or anyone losing or winning'.
Then there was the infamous 2019 jersey controversy. The Congress and Samajwadi Party objected to the Indian cricket team’s away jersey featuring orange colour, claiming that the Modi government was attempting to 'saffronise' the game.
The ICC later clarified that India was merely adhering to its standard 'home' and 'away' jersey regulations. The design, they explained, was inspired by an old T20 jersey that, surprisingly, also had orange.
Meanwhile, New Zealand fell to India's spin ploy as the Sharma-led side ended at the top of Champions Trophy Group A with a 44-run victory in Dubai on Sunday.
For their final group-stage game before the semifinals, India made a tactical decision to drop Harshit Rana and field four spinners. The move paid off brilliantly as India’s spin attack completely dismantled New Zealand’s batting lineup, successfully defending a 249-run target. With this third consecutive victory, India finished the group stage with six points, while New Zealand secured the second spot with four points.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's personal views, and do not represent the views of Mid-Day.
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