Kohli & Co back Mukund s emotional tweet on racial abuse

New Delhi Aug 10 (IANS) India skipper Virat Kohli all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin Hardik Pandya and many other players on Thursday supported opener Abhinav Mukund s emotional Twitter post recalling the abusive racist posts he received due to his skin colour.

Mukund on Wednesday tweeted a post about fair not being the "only lovely or handsome."

Kohli Pandya Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary off-spinner Ashwin supported the youngster and appreciated him.

Kohli tweeted: "Very well said Abhinav" while Ashwin said: "Read and learn don t make it a headline cos its someone s emotion."

Women s doubles badminton star Jwala Gutta also supported him and said: "Corrrrrectttt"

Recalling his past Mukund who scored 81 in the second innings in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle wrote: "I have been playing cricket since the age of 10 and I have gradually climbed up the ladder to where I am right now."

"It is an honour to get the chance to represent the country at the highest level. 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. Anyone who follows cricket would understand the obvious.

"I have played and trained day in and day out in the sun and not once have I regretted the fact that I have tanned or lost a couple of shades " he wrote.

The Tamil Nadu southpaw further wrote: "It is simply because I love what I do and I have been able to achieve certain things only because I have spent hours outdoor. I come from Chennai probably one of the hottest places in our country and I have gladly spent most of my adult life in the cricket ground.

The 27-year-old concluded the note by saying that one has to be comfortable in his own skin.

"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. There were many times when I chose not to dignify these insults with responses " Mukund said.

"With the rise of social media it has gone to a magnitude that I see people hurling abuses left right and centre at something I have absolutely no control over. Fair isn t the only lovely or handsome guys.

"Stay true stay focussed be comfortable in your own skin" he added.

--IANS
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