FORMER India leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India of colour discrimination, claiming it cost him key on-air roles throughout his 25-year commentary career before he announced his retirement from the BCCI panel on Friday (20).
Sivaramakrishnan, 60, made the explosive allegation in a reply to a fan on X who suggested his skin tone may have been a factor in his limited opportunities. "You are right. Colour Discrimination," he wrote.
The former cricketer said he had been consistently passed over for toss and presentation ceremonies for 23 years, even as newer voices were given those roles.
"If I have not been used for TOSSES and PRESENTATION for 23 years and new comers come in to do pitch report, tosses, presentations even when Shastri was coaching, what do you think could be the reason," he posted.
He also hinted that wider structural issues within television production were at play. "How does a company owning BCCI rights go down? Any guesses. My retirement is nothing great. But a story of tv production unfolds. Soon you will see the bigger picture," he added.
Sivaramakrishnan began his commentary career in 2000, having played nine Tests and 16 ODIs for India between 1983 and 1986.
He was known for expressing his views candidly inside the box for more than two decades, and also served as a player representative on the ICC Cricket Committee.
FILE PHOTO: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan in bowling action during the 4th Test Match between India and England in Madras, India on January 15th, 1985 (Photo by Adrian Murrell/ Allsport/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
His announcement drew a swift reaction from fellow spin great Ravichandran Ashwin, who quoted his post and wrote simply: "Oh no! Why not this IPL?" — expressing apparent disappointment at the timing of his exit.
Fans, however, were divided. While many rallied to support his discrimination claims, others questioned whether the accusations were justified.
Sivaramakrishnan remains one of Indian cricket's more distinguished figures from the 1980s. A prodigious talent who burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old with big-turning leg-spin, googlies and top-spinners, he became famous for a match-winning 12-wicket haul against England in 1984.
He was also the leading wicket-taker in India's victorious 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship campaign in Australia, playing a key role in the final against Pakistan, helping restrict them to 176/9 as India won by eight wickets under Sunil Gavaskar's captaincy.
The BCCI has not yet responded to his allegations.
(with inputs from PTI)
