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In response to criticism of Rohit Sharma's fitness, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that if selectors are looking for "slim" players, they should choose models. After Rohit was referred to as "fat for a sportsperson" by Congress National Spokesperson Shama Mohamed, Gavaskar addressed the controversy around his body in an interview with India Today. In a sport as distinct as cricket, Gavaskar has always argued that match fitness and physical fitness can be two different things. Citing instances of stocky cricket players who have achieved success at the highest level, he restated his position.
Gavaskar on Rohit
"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. It’s about how well you can play cricket. We talked about Sarfaraz Khan—he was vilified for a long time because he was on the heavier side. But if he scores 150 for India in a Test match and follows it up with another two or three fifty-plus scores, then what’s the issue?" Gavaskar said on Monday.
"I don’t think size has anything to do with it. 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," he added.
Sarfaraz Khan had to wait for his international debut, but Gavaskar has been an outspoken advocate for him. In 2024, the Mumbai batter took full advantage of his chance, amassing 371 runs in six Test matches, including three fifties and a century. Gavaskar is renowned for saying that a player's waist circumference is not a good indicator of their level of fitness for cricket.
In white-ball cricket, Rohit Sharma, 37, is still one of the most dangerous batters. The India skipper has played a key role in giving the squad a good start, especially during the Champions Trophy in Dubai on challenging fields. His aggressive, daring style of leading from the front has also been largely credited with changing India's attitude to white-ball cricket.
In the 2023 World Cup, where India trounced their opponents until losing to Australia in the final, his tactics almost paid out. But when India won the T20 World Cup trophy in 2024, his strategies were finally validated. Rohit now has another chance to adorn his glistening trophy case with an ICC title. With wins over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand, India remains undefeated in the Champions Trophy and will play Australia in the semi-final on Tuesday, March 4 in Dubai.
