BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia criticized Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for questioning Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and fitness during India’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign. Saikia deemed her comments unfortunate and potentially demoralizing for the team, which has reached the semifinals after defeating New Zealand. He urged individuals to refrain from making derogatory statements for personal publicity at the expense of national interest. Shama’s controversial post called Rohit “fat” and labeled him an unimpressive captain; it has since been deleted. Former cricketer Dilip Doshi defended Rohit, stating he is cricket fit despite not conforming to traditional athletic standards.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia criticized Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed on Monday for questioning the captaincy and fitness of Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Saikia described it as disappointing for someone in a responsible position to make such trivial remarks during the national team’s Champions Trophy journey. Currently, India has reached the semifinals of the ICC tournament and is set to face Australia in Dubai on Tuesday after defeating New Zealand on Sunday to secure the top spot in their group. “It’s quite unfortunate for a responsible person to make such a trivial statement when the team is engaged in such a significant ICC tournament. This could have a demoralizing impact on an individual or the team,” Saikia informed PTI.
“All players are performing at their highest levels, and the results speak for themselves. I hope people will refrain from making such disparaging remarks for personal gain at the expense of national interest,” he added.
Shama stirred controversy on social media with a provocative post aimed at the Indian captain.
In recognition of her inappropriate comments, the Congress party urged Shama to remove the post from her ‘X’ account.
In her now-deleted post, Shama stated: “Rohit Sharma is overweight for a sportsman! He needs to lose weight! And without a doubt, he is the most unimpressive captain India has ever had.”
Former India spinner Dilip Doshi expressed his discontent regarding the remarks aimed at Rohit.
“People can have their own opinions, but to express them publicly is even worse, so I suggest that individuals keep their opinions to themselves,” Doshi told PTI Videos.
“Rohit may not fit the typical mold of a young, athletic, modern-day cricketer, but he possesses immense talent and is appropriately fit for his role. Is Rohit cricket fit? Absolutely,” said Doshi, who represented India in 33 Tests and 15 ODIs between 1979 and 1983.
“Many players may appear gym-fit but are not necessarily cricket-fit. For me, a cricketer should primarily be cricket-fit, rather than just gym-fit. Gym fitness has led to an increase in injuries that were less common in the past,” he added.
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