Indian politician fat-shames Rohit Sharma, calls him ‘unimpressive’ captain

An Indian politician has criticized Rohit Sharma for his fitness, calling him "fat" and questioning his ability as a captain during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.  

Congress spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed posted on X, formerly Twitter, that India’s longer formats captain needed to lose weight. She also called him the "most unimpressive" skipper the Indian team has ever had.  

"@ImRo45 is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight And of course the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!" she wrote. The post was later deleted.  

According to Indian media, she also said that Sharma was just a mediocre captain who had only been lucky to lead the team. She claimed there was nothing “world-class” about him.  

Her remarks led to a strong reaction from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla responded by mocking the Congress party’s political losses.  

"Those who have lost 90 elections under the captaincy of Rahul Gandhi are calling the captaincy of Rohit [Sharma] unimpressive," said Poonawalla. He also pointed out that India had won the T20 World Cup 2024 under Rohit’s leadership.  

This is not the first time Sharma has been criticized for his fitness. In January, during a Ranji Trophy match, fans fat-shamed him and even called him "vada pav," a popular Indian street food.  

Despite the controversy, India has been in great form in the ongoing Champions Trophy. The team has remained unbeaten in the tournament and is set to play against Australia in the first semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday. India topped Group A with three wins, including victories over rivals Pakistan and New Zealand.