‘Rohit Sharma should not be in the team’: After Shama Mohamed, TMC’s Saugata Roy questions Indian skipper's place

ICC Champions Trophy: Amid a disappointing performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Indian captain Rohit Sharma is facing criticism not only from cricket fans but also from politicians.

Rohit was dismissed for 15 runs off 17 balls in India’s match against New Zealand on Sunday, adding to concerns about his form.

After Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed's remarks, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also questioned Rohit’s leadership, further intensifying the debate over his captaincy.

ICC Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma Should not be in the team, says Roy

Saugata Roy told ANI that he agreed with Mohamed over her concerns stating that “Rohit Sharma shouldn't even be in the team”.

“I agree; this is not about politics; this is about cricket. How many days will Rohit Sharma be given a pass? Scoring a century once in two years and getting out quickly in other matches don't justify his place in the team. He should not remain an authority in the team. The Congress leader is correct in saying this. Even about his weight, there's concern. Yes, he is overweight, but people don't seem to care,” Saugata Roy said.

Roy further said: “If we talk about a fit and capable captain, many new players are performing well. If fitness is the issue, someone like Bumrah, if he were fit, could be a great captain. Even Shreyas Iyer could be a potential captain. But Rohit Sharma should not have a place in the team.”

Calling Rohit Sharma the country's “most unimpressive captain”, Mohamed, in her post on X, which she subsequently deleted, said that the Indian cricket team's captain needs to “lose weight”.

However, after backlash, Congress distanced itself from Mohamed's initial comments, stating that they do not reflect the party's position, and asked her to delete her X posts on the Indian skipper.

The Congress leader defended her remarks, saying, “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that. I have been attacked for no reason. When I compared him with previous captains, I put in a statement. I have the right. What is wrong in saying? It is a democracy…”