Former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad criticized Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for her derogatory comments about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma.
During India's Champions Trophy 2025 matchup against New Zealand, Mohamed tweeted that Rohit needed to 'lose weight' and called him the "most unimpressive captain India has ever had".
Although she deleted the post, her remarks sparked widespread backlash, with many coming to Rohit's defense.
The critic argued that Rohit, who led India to a T20 World Cup victory just eight months prior, deserved respect for his achievements in cricket.
He called Mohamed's comments "absolutely pathetic and uncalled for," noting Rohit's skill and leadership as captain. Dinesh Lad, Rohit's childhood coach, also weighed in, stating that such fat-shaming reflects poorly on the country and damages the nation's image internationally.
Following the controversy, the Congress party instructed Mohamed to delete her post. While the controversy swirled, Rohit Sharma continued to perform in the ongoing tournament, though he remains the only top-order batsman yet to score a half-century, accumulating 76 runs across three innings.
Despite this, support for him remains strong, highlighting the respect and admiration he commands both on and off the field.