Darren Sammy's allegations of racism against his teammates at Sunrisers Hyderabad proves to be true [see pics]
As it happens, former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy’s allegations of racism against some of his Sunrisers Hyderabad’ s teammates was true and there is even a picture to substantiate the issue.
Former West Indies skipper claimed that he was called kalu by few of his teammates in a recent video that he put out on Instagram on Monday.
He further said in the clip that he learnt the meaning of the word recently following protests over George Floyd death.
Sammy’s allegations can be backed by a picture that was shared by his former teammate Ishant Sharma, who referred to the West Indian as ‘kaluu’ in the caption.
"Me, bhuvi, kaluu and gun sunrisers," Ishant captioned the picture which has him, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sammy and South Africa's Dale Steyn in the frame.
It appears to be that even the coachingstaff of the SRH knew about the racist nickname. A tweer by Sammy, wishing batting mentor VVS Laxman on his birthday also that the word in it.
"Happy birthday @VVSLaxman281 May God continue to bless you. #bestdresser oh remember the dark kalu," Sammy had tweeted on November 1, 2014.
Happy birthday @VVSLaxman281 May God continue to bless you. #bestdresser oh remember dark kalu. 😂😂😂
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) November 1, 2014
The former West Indies skipper on Monday called out all those who used the degrading word to address him during his time with the Hyderabad based franchise.
Darren Sammy, who featured for SRH in 2013 and 2014, revealed that he and Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera were called kalu by few of their teammates.
He did not mention any names but stated that he didn’t know the meaning of the word, "like a strong stallion or whatever", but he only got to know the real meaning of the word after watching comedian Hasan Minhaj's show.
"So recently I discovered a word that I was being called was not what it actually meant, I need some answers. So before I start calling out names I need these individuals to reach out and please tell me there's another meaning to that word and when I was being called it, it was all in love," read the post along with the video.
"I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all the dressing rooms where I have played, so I was listening to Hasan Minhaj as to how some of the people in his culture describe black people," Sammy said in the video.
"This does not apply to all people, so after I found out a meaning of a certain word, I had said I was angry on finding out the meaning and it was degrading, instantly I remembered when I played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013-14, I was being called the exact same word which is degrading to us black people.
"I instantly got very angry about it knowing now what that word meant.
"I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are. I must admit at that time when I was being called that, I didn't know what it meant, I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, and I saw no problems because I was ignorant about what it meant.
"But every time I and Thisara Perera was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment. Me being a team man, I thought teammates are happy, so it must be something funny," Sammy said.
Darren Sammy has been vociferous about the issue of racism following the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man whose death has triggered a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice.
Also Read: Darren Sammy alleges racism within SunRisers Hyderabad camp [Watch]
First published: 9 June 2020, 18:35 IST