New Delhi: Days after facing backlash for her harsh remarks about Team India captain Rohit Sharma, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed praised India's victory against Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final, extending her best wishes for the March 9 final.

"I am very, very happy today that India has won the semi-final against Australia under Rohit Sharma's captaincy. Very happy, very, very excited, and congratulations to Virat Kohli for scoring 84 runs and becoming the first player to score 1,000 runs in ICC knockouts. I am very excited and looking forward to the finals," she told ANI after India successfully chased down 265 with four wickets in hand.

Past remarks spark controversy

Earlier, Mohamed’s criticism of Rohit Sharma, including comments about his weight, stirred controversy.

During India's match against New Zealand on Sunday, she posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling Sharma "fat for a sportsman" and suggesting he needed to "lose weight." She also described him as "the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had."

When a Pakistan-based sports journalist defended Sharma, calling him a "mighty effective and world-class performer," Mohamed dismissed the claim, questioning his credentials compared to past Indian cricketing legends like Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri.

She called him a "mediocre captain and player" who had been "lucky" to lead Team India.

In a later clarification, she compared Sharma with former captain Virat Kohli, arguing that Kohli always compliments fellow cricketers.

She insisted her comments were made in a "generic manner" and questioned why her opinion was being scrutinised in a democracy.

BJP and BCCI respond

Her remarks drew sharp reactions, with the BJP questioning the Congress party's stance. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticised the party, saying, "Shame on Congress! Now they are going after the Indian Cricket Captain! Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?"

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also condemned the comments, calling them "unfortunate."

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia warned that such statements during an ICC tournament could harm a player's morale.

"Very unfortunate for a responsible person to pass such a trivial comment when the team is in the middle of such a crucial ICC tournament. It may have a demoralising effect on an individual or the team. All the players are performing to their highest potential, and the results are visible. I hope individuals will desist from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity sake," he told NDTV.

Congress distances itself

The Congress party distanced itself from Mohamed's remarks, clarifying that they did not reflect the party's official stance.

Pawan Khera, chairman of the party’s publicity department, stated that she had been asked to delete the posts and exercise greater caution in the future.

"Dr. Shama Mohamed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party's position. She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future.

The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy," Khera posted.

Rohit Sharma’s leadership record

Since taking over as Team India captain in 2023, Rohit Sharma has led the team to significant victories, including the T20 World Cup and two Asia Cup titles. His leadership in the IPL has also been remarkable, guiding the Mumbai Indians to five championship wins.

As India gears up to face Australia in the Champions Trophy final, Sharma remains a key figure in the team’s pursuit of yet another major title.