DUBAI: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar backed India skipper Rohit Sharma after a fat-shaming post by an Indian politician, saying cricket is about skill not “modelling”. Rohit’s India beat Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday in Dubai but a social media comment on the Indian captain’s bodyweight overshadowed the build-up.
Shama Mohamed, A spokeswoman for India’s opposition Congress party, posted on X: “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!.” Mohamed came under fire for the post — later deleted — from media, pundits and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
“I have always said, if you want only slim guys, then you should go to a modelling competition and pick all the models. It’s not about that,” Gavaskar told India Today. Gavaskar spoke about how Indian batsman Sarfaraz Khan had also been “vilified” for his weight issues, but said it was performances that mattered.
“I don’t think size has anything to do with it,” said Gavaskar. “It’s your mental strength, whether you can last the distance, that’s the most important thing. Bat well, bat for long, and score runs.”
Rohit had previously been ridiculed for his visible “paunch” in the Indian Premier League but the 37-year-old has ignored his critics. The swashbuckling opener hit a quickfire 28 in the first semi-final as India started their chase of 265 against Australia before Virat Kohli set up victory with his 84.
Both Rohit and Kohli were recently criticised for their lack of runs in Test cricket and came into the 50-over tournament with retirement rumours swirling. India head coach Gautam Gambhir said that Rohit always sets the tone for India’s batting, irrespective of the runs he scores.
“If your captain bats with such a tempo, it just gives a very good signal to the dressing room that we want to be absolutely fearless and courageous,” Gambhir said when asked about Rohit’s form. “You evaluate from the runs. We evaluate from the impact. That’s the difference.” India will meet either South Africa or New Zealand in the final on Sunday in Dubai.
Shami admits playing at one venue ‘definitely helps’ finalists India India pace spearhead Mohammed Shami has broken ranks by admitting that playing all their Champions Trophy games at one venue in Dubai has been to their advantage.
Shami returned figures of 3-48 to set up India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dubai. India coach Gautam Gambhir afterwards lashed out at critics who have said playing at the same Dubai International Cricket Stadium each time is unfair.
India refused to travel to Champions Trophy hosts Pakistan over political tensions and have won all four of their games at their temporary home. They will face South Africa or New Zealand in Sunday’s final, again in Dubai.
The other seven teams in the ODI competition have meanwhile had to shuttle between three Pakistani cities and the United Arab Emirates.
“It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch,” Shami said Tuesday after his pivotal role in beating Australia. “It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue.”
As part of the hybrid arrangement of the tournament, South Africa were forced to travel to Dubai, only to return to Pakistan again less than 24 hours later without playing a game. India are unbeaten in the 10 ODIs they have played in Dubai, winning nine. Shami, 34, claimed a five-wicket haul in India’s opening win over Bangladesh and has bowled with pace and accuracy.
But a question on getting reverse swing with the old ball got Shami pleading with cricket authorities to allow the use of saliva to polish the ball in the 50-over format. The International Cricket Council in 2022 made a ban on saliva — brought in during the Covid pandemic — permanent. “We are trying to reverse, but you are not getting the use of saliva into the game,” Shami told reporters. “We are constantly appealing to allow the use of saliva and it will be interesting with the reverse swing.”
The use of saliva to shine one side of the old ball and keep the other rough helps fast bowlers get the leather ball to swing late and can be a lethal weapon in the final few overs of an ODI match.
They can still use sweat. After a strong start to the tournament, Shami left the field briefly in the win over Pakistan. He has now put all fears of any fitness issues to rest with two matches in three days and bowling his full quota of 10 overs against Australia.
