Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh reacted strongly to Shama Mohamed’s criticism of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who she described as “fat” and “the most unimpressive captain.” This comment followed Rohit’s poor performance in a Champions Trophy match. Yograj expressed outrage, stating that such remarks about athletes who bring pride to the nation should be condemned. He suggested that if he were the prime minister, he would ask Mohamed to leave the country. In response to the backlash, Mohamed clarified her statement as a general comment on fitness, asserting her right to voice opinions in a democracy.
Yograj Singh, a former player of the Indian cricket team, fiercely criticized Shama Mohamed for her controversial comments regarding India’s captain, Rohit Sharma. Yograj expressed his views bluntly, stating that if he were the prime minister, he would have told her to “pack her bags and leave the country.”
Mohamed had questioned Rohit’s fitness, suggesting that the Indian skipper should “lose weight.” She referred to the experienced opener as “fat” for an athlete and labeled him as the “most unimpressive captain” in the country.
Her remarks surfaced following Rohit’s dismissal for 15 runs off 17 balls in India’s final group match against New Zealand during the Champions Trophy on Sunday. With India set to face Australia in the semi-finals, her comments sparked outrage and have been met with significant criticism nationwide.
“I want to emphasize one thing, jiska kaam usee ko saaje aur kare to danda baaje (the work only suits those to whom it belongs; if done by anyone else, it is ruined). The Indian cricketers, our people, and our country mean more to me than my own life. If someone in the political arena makes such derogatory remarks about a player who has brought pride to our nation, that person should be ashamed,” Yograj, who is also the father of Yuvraj Singh, told ANI.
“They have no right to remain in our country. Cricket is our religion; we lost to New Zealand and Australia, and a lot of things were said about Rohit and Virat. We defended them. This situation saddens me. Such things happen in Pakistan. A former star player there remarked, ‘Who will eat so many bananas?’ (aimed at Wasim Akram). Action must be taken. This behavior is unacceptable. If I were the prime minister, I would say, pack your bags and leave the country,” he added.
In response to the backlash, Mohamed clarified her statement in an interview with ANI, stating, “It was a general tweet regarding the fitness of a sportsperson. It wasn’t body-shaming. I firmly believe that athletes should be fit, and I felt he was slightly overweight, so I tweeted my thoughts. I am being attacked without cause. When I compared him to past captains, I supported my statement. I have the right to voice my opinion. What is inappropriate about that? We live in a democracy.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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