Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed had questioned Rohit's fitness in a now-deleted post on X.
Mohamed, in a now-deleted post on social media platform X, had raised questions over Rohit’s fitness and leadership.
Her comments drew widespread backlash as several prominent personalities rallied behind Rohit, acknowledging his immense contributions to Indian cricket.
Harbhajan also joined the bandwagon, questioning Mohamed’s credentials to comment on an athlete’s fitness.
“Well, there will be people who’ll keep on talking about his fitness, captaincy skills. But I just asked a very simple question to that lady who made this remark about Rohit Sharma’s fitness, whether she’s a part of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) or any other organization where she understands the rule and also the fitness. What are her own achievements when it comes to sports?" Harbhajan told India Today.
"So, putting a finger towards anyone is very easy but at the same time, the thumb is facing towards you, so just check yourself too,” he further said.
The former off-spinner then highlighted the enormous pressure of representing the country and leading the team, particularly in a marquee event like the Champions Trophy.
“It’s very hard for people to actually understand how it is to be playing for India and the kind of pressure a player goes through—only that player knows.
“He’s got the responsibility to take the team forward, but he also needs to perform as a player. Rohit Sharma is a very hardworking guy, he’s a selfless guy. He’s someone who’s a leader, who leads from the front, who always puts the team’s interest first rather than himself. Good to have a leader like him, a player like him,” Harbhajan remarked.
India are on an unbeaten streak in the ongoing Champions Trophy so far. After beating Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the group-stage, the Men in Blue outplayed Australia in the semi-final to make their third successive appearance in the CT final, where they will face New Zealand on March 9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Harbhajan credited Rohit for developing a strong team environment, which has played a crucial role in India’s success in the eight-team tournament.
“I respect those people who respect the fact that the team comes first rather than. I always say, it’s now about ‘me’, it’s about we. How we can play together and win the cup. The captain’s responsibility is to keep everyone on one page. Rohit Sharma must get credit for that for putting everyone together in the field, on one page with one mission to win the cup,” he stated.