March 3, 2025: BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has expressed his disappointment with Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed’s controversial comments about Team India captain Rohit Sharma, referring to him as "fat." The remarks, which were made on social media, sparked outrage, particularly as India is in the midst of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Saikia condemned the remarks, calling them "unfortunate" and inappropriate, especially at a time when the team is preparing for the semi-final clash against Australia.
In her now-deleted post on X, Mohamed had criticized Rohit Sharma's fitness, stating that the Indian captain was "fat" and needed to "lose weight." She also called him the "most unimpressive captain" of the country. This statement came after Rohit’s dismissal for just 15 runs off 17 balls in India’s group-stage match against New Zealand, a game that ended with India’s victory.
In response to these comments, Saikia expressed his disappointment. "It's very unfortunate that such remarks come from someone in a responsible position about our captain, especially when India is playing an ICC tournament and the team is all set to play the semi-final. These kinds of statements have no place in the current context," Saikia stated. He emphasized that the focus should be on supporting the team during such critical times.
Mohamed, however, defended her comments, stating that they were not meant to be body-shaming but were instead a "generic" observation about a sportsperson's fitness. She further claimed, “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that.” Mohamed also added that she had every right to express her views, emphasizing that it was a democratic right to voice opinions.
The BJP was quick to criticize Mohamed’s remarks, accusing her of body-shaming and questioning her credibility. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla pointed out the irony of a party that has faced multiple electoral losses under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership criticizing Rohit Sharma's captaincy. He said, "Those who have lost 90 elections under the captaincy of Rahul Gandhi are calling the captaincy of Rohit Sharma unimpressive!"
Further fueling the debate, Congress MP Rajani Patil stated that the party would seek a response from Mohamed, condemning the comments. "I personally and the party will not approve of body-shaming anyone. Talking this way about a sportsperson who represents the country is not right," she added.
Despite the controversy, India’s performance in the ICC Champions Trophy has been impressive. In their final group-stage match against New Zealand, India defeated the Black Caps by 44 runs, securing a spot in the semi-finals. The team’s spin attack, led by Varun Chakravarthy, played a crucial role in India’s victory.
As the Men in Blue prepare for their semi-final clash against Australia, the team remains focused on the tournament, putting the distractions behind them.
Last Updated on March 3, 2025 by Disha Rojhe
