Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed on Monday sparked a controversy with her criticism of Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, calling him “fat for a sportsman” and branding his captaincy “the most unimpressive” in the country’s history.
Taking to social media, Mohamed wrote, “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And, of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!”
Her comments drew immediate backlash, particularly from the BJP leaders and cricket fans.
Pakistan-based journalist defends Sharma
According to an NDTV report, a Pakistan-based sports journalist countered Mohamed’s remarks, describing Sharma as a “mighty effective and world class performer.”
In response, Mohamed dismissed the claim, questioning how Sharma could be compared to Indian cricketing greats.
“What is so world-class about him when compared to his predecessors? He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the captain of India,” she wrote, citing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kapil Dev.
BJP slams Mohamed, accuses Congress of body-shaming
The BJP strongly criticised Mohamed’s remarks, accusing Congress of disrespecting a World Cup-winning captain.
“Shame on Congress! Now they are going after the Indian Cricket Captain! Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?” BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said.
BJP leader Radhika Khera, who left Congress to join the BJP, also condemned the remarks.
“This is the same Congress that humiliated athletes for decades, denied them recognition, and now dares to mock a cricketing legend? The party that thrives on nepotism is lecturing a self-made champion?” she said.
Khera took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, stating that while Rohit Sharma led India to a World Cup victory, the Congress leader struggled to manage his own party without leading it into turmoil.
She also targeted Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, urging him to focus on the party’s declining electoral standing instead of targeting a cricketer.
“Congress should worry about its own sinking dynast before taking cheap shots at India’s pride!” she said.
Congress intervenes; Mohamed deletes posts
NDTV reported citing sources that the Congress high command stepped in and instructed Mohamed to delete her posts to prevent further snowballing of the controversy.
She later deleted all remarks that had triggered the uproar.
However, she remained defiant. Defending her comments, Mohamed rejected allegations of body-shaming.
“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,” she said.
Mohamed also compared Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli and said the latter always compliments other cricketers.
“I just spoke in a generic manner. I fail to understand how in a democracy, we don’t have the right to speak,” she said.
Rohit Sharma’s leadership and India’s latest victory
Rohit Sharma, 37, took over as India’s captain in 2023, leading the team to a T20 World Cup victory last year and securing two Asia Cup titles earlier. He also has a stellar IPL record, having led Mumbai Indians to five championships.
On Sunday, India claimed a 44-run win over New Zealand in their final group-stage match of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Despite Sharma falling early, India posted 249 runs in 50 overs. The bowling attack, led by Varun Chakaravarthy, dismantled the New Zealand batting lineup, bundling them out for 205.
With the victory, India advanced to the semi-finals, where they will face Australia in a high-stakes clash on March 4.
