Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has been embroiled in a fat-shaming row ahead of the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia – with a government spokeswoman sledging him about his weight.
Sharma, 37, was the subject of a social media blast from Shama Mohamed, a spokeswoman for the Congress, India’s main opposition party, on Sunday.
“Need to lose weight, and of course the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!” Mohamed wrote.
She was ordered to delete the post but, having done so, decided to double down, calling Sharma “fat for a sportsman.”
Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Mohamed defended her comment, saying her post did not amount to body-shaming.
“I felt he is overweight and tweeted about it. I have been attacked for no reason,” she said.
Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, Indian cricketers adopted a more professional approach to training. Sharma was out of the Test side for a period partly due to his fitness.
However, plenty have come to Sharma’s defence.
“It is very unfortunate that these derogatory, demoralising comments are being made when the team is in the crucial stage of a global tournament,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Reuters.
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar also responded with support for Sharma, who withdrew from the final Test against Australia in January with his form in the toilet.
“I have always said, if you want only slim guys, then you should go to a modelling competition and pick all the models. It’s not about that,” said Gavaskar on India Today.
“It’s about how well you can play cricket. We talked about Sarfaraz Khan—he was vilified for a long time because he was on the heavier side. But if he scores 150 for India in a Test match and follows it up with another two or three fifty-plus scores, then what’s the issue?
“I don’t think size has anything to do with it. It’s your mental strength—whether you can last the distance—that’s the most important thing. Bat well, bat for long, and score runs.”
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