Former India cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has announced his decision to retire from commentary assignments with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He has served for over two decades, spanning international, domestic and franchise cricket. The 60-year-old shared his decision on social media, sparking widespread discussion as the Chennai-born has accused racism behind his decision to retire.
His remarks drew attention for the concerns he raised about his experience during his time in broadcasting. Sivaramakrishnan indicated that he had repeatedly been excluded from key roles such as toss coverage and post-match presentations, while Ravi Shastri and others were picked ahead of him. He also suggested that newer entrants were preferred for these assignments despite his experience.ย
โI am retiring from commentary for BCCI,โ he posted on X earlier in the day. After that, he asked his followers to guess the reason behind him not being preferred for the key roles.
โIf I have not been used for tosses and presentation for 23 years and newcomers come in what do you think could be the reason,โ he asked.
โYou are right. Colour discrimination,โ Sivaramakrishnan replied to one of the comments.
He further pointed to a pattern that, according to him, extended across different phases of his commentary career, including periods when established figures like Shastri were part of the setup.
โMy retirement is nothing great. But a story of TV production unfolds. Soon you will see the bigger picture,โ he shared.
Sivaramakrishnanโs cricket journey
Sivaramakrishnanโs cricketing journey began in the early 1980s when he emerged as a promising leg-spinner for India. He featured in nine Test matches and 16 One Day Internationals between 1983 and 1987. In Tests, he claimed 26 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls, while adding 15 wickets in ODIs.
His debut came during Indiaโs tour of the West Indies in 1983, and he quickly gained attention for his performances. Among his notable achievements was a remarkable outing against England in 1984, where he took 12 wickets in a single match. He also played a role in Indiaโs triumph at the 1985 World Championship in Australia, finishing as the tournamentโs leading wicket-taker.
After concluding his playing career, Sivaramakrishnan transitioned into commentary, where he became known for his insights into spin bowling and remained a familiar voice in cricket coverage for many years.
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