Bollywood actress Vidya Balan received widespread backlash following her show of support for Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after he opted out of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
To Read Lifestyle Stories in Urdu- Click Here
Controversy erupted after the ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ actress shared a post on X, lauding Rohit Sharma for his decision to opt out of the final game following a decline in his performance.
Vidya Balan wrote in her X post, “To take a pause & catch your breath requires courage … More power to you … Respect 🙌 !! @ImRo45.”
The Bollywood actress’s show of support did not sit well with several social media users who claimed that the post was part of a PR campaign to boost Rohit Sharma’s image.
Additionally, a Reddit post claimed that Vidya Balan posted a screenshot of the same tweet that was shared with her and then deleted it instantly.
Following the claims, the Bollywood actress’s team released a statement, denying the reports that Vidya Balan showed her support to Rohit Sharma as part of a PR activity.
Read more: Vidya Balan recalls feeling ‘ugly’ after a filmmaker’s comment
“There has been some speculation regarding a tweet Ms Vidya Balan put out yesterday expressing her admiration for the grace Rohit Sharma exhibited by stepping back as a player and captain from the last test match,” the statement reads.
As per the team, the ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ star shared the post as she was moved by the Indian skipper’s ‘selfless act’ during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“Ms Balan posted this completely of her own volition because she was moved by his selfless act, and NOT by request from his PR team. Ms.Balan is not an avid sports fan, but she is a fan of those who show dignity and class under trying circumstances,” as per the Bollywood actress’s team.
It is worth noting here that reports about Sharma’s imminent Test retirement began circulating after he opted out of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the SCG.
Reacting to the reports, the Indian skipper hinted at continuing his stint in Test cricket.
“Whenever I am captaining, I don’t believe in what is going to happen after 5 months or 6 months. What do you want in the immediate future, it is important to focus on this thing,” he said.
