India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma became the talk of the town after his decision to opt out of the 5th and final match against Australia in Sydney triggered social media storm. Rohit, who wasn’t in the best of form going into the fixture, wasn’t a part of the playing XI, with Shubman Gill replacing him in the team. Rohit even gave a mid-match interview on the sidelines to clear the air as his absence started to get linked with his retirement from the format.
Several posts of appreciation emerged on social media platforms like X, with Bollywood actress Vidya Balan also expressing her admiration for the Hitman. However, many users called her post a ‘PR stunt’, while Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter) also said that the it seemed like a sponsored post. Though the Community Notes were later removed.
“Rohit Sharma, what a SUPERSTAR !! To take a pause & catch your breath requires courage … More power to you … Respect !!,” Vidya Balan’s post read.
Rohit Sharma, what a SUPERSTAR !!
To take a pause & catch your breath requires courage … More power to you … Respect !! @ImRo45
— vidya balan (@vidya_balan) January 4, 2025
The Community Notes message underneath the post read:
“Community Notes: This post by Vidya Balan appears to be an undisclosed sponsored post, which violates the platform’s Terms of Service. Sponsored posts must be transparently disclosed according to X’s guidelines.
Evidence includes a deleted Instagram photo from Vidya Balan’s account.”
Vidya Balan gets Community-Noted pic.twitter.com/LrfIYXoUzl
— Kartikeya Tanna (@KartikeyaTanna) January 5, 2025
Here’s the deleted Instagram post that was referred to in X’s Community Notes:
Instagram story of Vidya Balan in support of Rohit sharma
She literally posted the screenshot of her chat with Rohit’s PR team pic.twitter.com/qnkmeb3HTP
— Dr Nimo Yadav Commentary (@niiravmodi) January 4, 2025
Vidya Balan’s team also sent a message, clarifying the ‘PR stunt’ talks around the post.
“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 clarification further read: “Let it be unequivocally stated that 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. To attribute her actions to anything other than a spontaneous reaction to something she found admirable is completely preposterous.”
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