“Because of my dark skin, people would dismiss me. There was a sense of hurt every time this happened. I always wanted to forget, forget, forget but deep down, it’s always rooted and it comes out.”
Former India cricketer and commentator L Sivaramakrishnan shared this in an interview with The Indian Express.
He was a teenage prodigy.
Made his Test debut at 17.
Took 12 wickets in a Test match at 19.
But alongside the rise, there were moments he says stayed with him for decades.
In India, lighter skin has often been linked to beauty, success, and acceptance. Over time, films, television, and advertising have reinforced this idea, including through fairness cream messaging.
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A Teenager At The Nets
He was still in school. Training with the Indian team.
A senior player called him over and asked him to clean his shoes.
In his interview with The Indian Express, he said,
“I didn’t know what racism or colour discrimination was. I was just wondering why this man had to react like this.”
He described it as the first instance.
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“Dark Chocolate For Dark Boy”
On his 17th birthday, during a tour, the team gathered for cake.
Then came a remark:
“Hey Sunny, you ordered the right colour cake. Such a dark chocolate cake for a dark boy.”
“I started crying and refused to cut the cake. Sunil Gavaskar had to pacify me and then I cut the cake with tears in my eyes.”
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Not Just The Dressing Room
At a Mumbai hotel, he was part of the Indian team.
But the gatekeeper did not believe him.
He told The Indian Express,
“I would be trembling when I got near the gate for the fear of being rejected and kicked out again.”
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What It Did To Him
He described multiple such incidents.
“All these things put me in a position where I had very low self-esteem at a tender age… it is very hard to build confidence.”
His career is often described as a rapid rise and early decline.
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Even After Cricket
Years later, in commentary, he said similar concerns continued.
“I’ve never done a toss or a presentation. I asked one of the producers why. He said, ‘We have been instructed by our bosses not to put you.’ They said it is to do with me not being presentable.”
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What This Shows
His account traces a pattern from his teenage years to his professional life.
It shows how repeated remarks linked to skin colour can shape confidence and opportunity over time.
