Chennai: Abhinav Mukund has lashed out at social media trolls after the India opener was subjected to racial abuse on Twitter.
“I am writing today not to garner sympathy or attention but with the hope to change the mindset of people on an issue I feel strongly about. 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,” his statement, posted on Wednesday night, read.
“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,” he wrote.
“I have been subjected to a lot of name calling and I have laughed and shrugged it off because I had bigger goals! Affected young, I toughened up because this was never something that would pull me down,” wrote Abhinav.
“There were many times when I chose not to dignify these insults with responses. Today I am speaking up not just for me but for many from our country who experience ridicule based on the colour of one’s skin. Obviously with the rise of social media, it has gone to magnitude that I see people hurling abuses left, right and centre at something I have absolutely no control over! Fair is not the only lovely or handsome guys! Stay true, stay focussed and be comfortable in your own skin,” he concluded.
The left-handed batsman is currently in Sri Lanka as part of India’s Test squad. A couple of days ago, Hardik Pandya had posted a group picture with Abhinav, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and a few other support staff. A reply by a Twitter user, Chander Sekhar from Chandigarh, triggered Abhinav’s outburst. “the guy at extreme left in second pic is way too black to even called black (sic),” tweeted Chander Sekhar.
In his latest post on Thursday morning, the 27-year-old Mukund made it clear that his statement has nothing to do with Indian team. “Guys please don’t turn this into something else,it has absolutely no connection to anyone in the team. It is mainly targeted at people Who have been posting abuses about colour and saying absolutely derogatory things about the tone of my skin. That s all !,” he tweeted.
He further appealed, “Please don’t turn this into something political, I just wanted to make a positive statement hoping to make a change. That’s all.”
