‘Get Out of the Country’: Indian Politician Inappropriately Body Shames Captain Rohit Sharma

On Tuesday evening, India faces off against Australia in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, yet their captain, Rohit Sharma, finds himself entangled in controversy back in India.

Sharma, who will celebrate his 38th birthday next month, was critiqued by Indian politician Shama Mohamed, a spokesperson for the opposition Congress party, who labelled him as “overweight for a sportsman.”

The remarks ignited a considerable political uproar in India, drawing ire from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, who claimed it distracted the team at such a pivotal moment.

In response, Mohamed’s party distanced themselves from her comments, leading her to delete her post.

“He needs to shed some weight! In fact, he’s the least impressive captain India has ever had,” she tweeted.

Despite the backlash, Mohamed insisted her comments did not amount to “body-shaming.”

“It was just a general observation about his fitness. Why is everyone overreacting?” she stated to The Indian Express.

“As I was watching the India-New Zealand match, I noticed the captain. Previous captains like Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, and M S Dhoni were all fit.

“In contrast, Rohit has a noticeable belly. That’s why I suggested he needs to improve his fitness.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) responded to the situation, stating: “It’s unfortunate that such derogatory and demoralising remarks are being made while the team is in a crucial phase of an international tournament,” expressed BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia.

Shortly after Mohamed’s comments, former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh, who is also the father of Yuvraj Singh, publicly condemned her, suggesting she should “pack her bags and leave the country.”

“The pride I have for Indian cricketers, our people, and this land surpasses even my own life,” he declared to ANI.

“If anyone in the political realm makes such disparaging remarks about a player who has brought glory to our country, they should feel ashamed of themselves.

“They have no place in our nation. Cricket is our religion; we experienced defeats against New Zealand and Australia, and harsh words were directed at Rohit and Virat.

“We stood by them. This situation saddens me deeply. Action needs to be taken; such behaviour should not be tolerated. If I were the Prime Minister, I would say, pack your bags and leave this country,” he added.

Tuesday’s encounter serves as a rematch of the recent World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where Australia’s victory left India in mourning.

Australia enters the game with a weakened squad, missing their primary pace bowlers; Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are all absent for various reasons, alongside opening batsman Matt Short, who sustained a quad injury during Australia’s match against Afghanistan.