Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed has given birth to a controversy on Wednesday after questioning the non-selection of cricketer Sarfaraz Khan and taking a direct swipe at Team India head coach and former BJP MP Gautam Gambhir.
Taking to X, Shama Mohamed wrote, “Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname! #justasking. We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter.”
Her remark came in response to Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the India A squad for the upcoming series against South Africa A in Bengaluru. The comment sparked widespread criticism online, with many accusing the Congress leader of giving a communal twist to what they described as a purely cricketing decision.
When Gautam Gambhir Accused Sarfaraz Khan Of ‘Leaking’ Dressing Room Information
In January this year, reports claimed of alleged “leaks” from the Indian dressing room during the India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1–3. Following the series defeat, India captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar attended a review meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
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A video report by News 24 made a startling claim, alleging that Gautam Gambhir accused Sarfaraz Khan of leaking sensitive dressing room information during the tour. The report states that the accusation was made during the BCCI’s internal review meeting held after the series loss.
So far, neither Gambhir nor Sarfaraz has issued any official response to the report. The story remains unverified. If NewsX gets any update on the incident, this story will be updated.
Harbhajan Singh’s Reaction To Dressing Room Leak Allegation
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also weighed in on the controversy at that time, urging Gambhir to handle the matter with maturity. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan admitted he was unsure of the validity of the report but said Gambhir, as coach, should have spoken directly with the young batter.
“Whatever has happened in the last few days, be it in Australia or after that… there are wins and losses on the field. But everyday new stories should not come out of the dressing room,” Harbhajan said.
“Today there was a report that coach saab (Gautam Gambhir) has said Sarfaraz Khan has leaked dressing room talks to media. If the coach has said this, he should not have done so. If Sarfaraz Khan had done this in Australia, you are the coach – you could have talked to him then. He is a player, make him understand. He is a youngster, he will play for India in the future.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
