While England cricket struggles to thwart waves of racism allegations, closer home former leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has alleged that he has been “colour discriminated” all his life in his own country.

Sivaramakrishnan, while reacting to a Twitter post that hinted at online trolling faced by commentators, tweeted: “I have been criticised and colour discriminated all my life, so it doesn’t bother me anymore. This unfortunately happens in our own country.”

Sivaramakrishnan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, played 9 Tests and 16 ODIs for India.

The former spinner’s statemate, opener Abhinav Mukund, too had raised this issue some four years back. Mukund, who played 7 Tests, in a Twitter statement on August 9, 2017, had said: “I have been travelling a lot within and outside our country since I was 15. Ever since I was young, people's obsession with my skin colour has always been a mystery to me.

“Anyone who follows cricket would understand the obvious. I have played and trained day in and day out in the sun and not even once have I regretted the fact that I have tanned or lost a couple of shades.”