New Delhi, March 29 -- In the 1980s, India briefly adored a teenage leg-spinner, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan. Then he faded, and later returned as a commentator.

A few days ago, he was in the news after decades because he quit commentary stating that he was constantly belittled for his dark skin. He was accusing Indians, so everything he said rang true. He said powerful people tried to hide him from the camera, they were reluctant to invite him to the toss. It was conveyed to him that he was not "presentable."

When he opened to the media about this, he said that his life was always this way, even when he was a young cricket star. He was often mistaken for a poor person and treated shoddily.

By experience, I know that this may not be the wh...