Former Indian spinner Laxman Sivaramkrishnan He spoke about the instances of racism he encountered early in his career, including inside the Indian dressing room, and how those experiences affected him over time.Sivaramkrishnan, who played 25 international matches for India, made his Test debut in Antigua in April 1983 at the age of 17 years and 118 days, becoming one of the youngest players to represent the country in the format.
Recalling his early tours, he said he felt more comfortable in the Caribbean than in his team environment. “Everyone had dark skin. They were very happy people,” Shivaramkrishnan told The Indian Express. He added that players like Desmond Haynes and the late Malcolm Marshall often spent time with him during their first Test series.“I was treated very well by the opposition in the West Indies, in fact my best friends were Desmond Haynes and the late Malcolm Marshall. They would take me out almost every evening. When the Test matches were going on, I would probably change clothes, take a bath at the ground, get permission and leave,” he told The Indian Express.He said the two cricketers showed him places in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados and even invited him to Marshall’s house to watch old West Indies matches.Sivaramkrishnan also mentioned that Gordon Greenage, known for being reserved, spoke to him about his experiences of racism. “He told me personally that I’ve been through it in England and that’s why I just mind my own business, play my cricket and just go.”On the contrary, he recalled instances of discrimination within the Indian setup. Serving as a net bowler as a youth, he said a senior Indian player once mistook him for a ground staff and asked him to clean his shoes. “I just looked at him and said, ‘It’s none of my business,'” Shivaramkrishnan told The Indian Express.He also recounted an incident during the 1983 tour of Pakistan when captain Sunil Gavaskar had arranged a cake for him on his birthday. According to the report, a teammate made a comment about the color of his skin at the time. “Hey Sunny, you ordered the right color cake. Such a dark chocolate cake for a dark boy,” a colleague reportedly said.Sivaramkrishnan said such experiences continued during domestic and international matches, where he was subjected to comments from the crowd. “Because of my darkness, people would dismiss me. It was a painful feeling every time that happened. I always wanted to forget, forget, forget but deep down, it always took root and came out. All of these things brought me to a point where I had very low self-esteem at a young age… It’s very difficult to build confidence,” he said.
