Brian Lara’s Startling Revelation: “I Spent Five Days in the Dressing Room Bathroom Because of Sir Viv Richards!”

Port of Spain: West Indies legend Brian Lara has revealed a shocking and emotional incident from the early days of his Test career that has stunned the cricketing world. Regarded as one of the game’s greatest batsmen, Lara recalled how his dream debut turned into a nightmare—all because of the sheer presence and aura of Sir Vivian Richards.
Now 56, Lara made his Test debut in December 1990 against Pakistan in Lahore. He scored 44 in the first innings before being caught by Aamer Malik off Abdul Qadir, and managed just 5 in the second innings, dismissed by Imran Khan. Although that match didn’t go as hoped, Lara’s overall career flourished: in 131 Tests, he amassed 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88, including 34 centuries. His unbeaten 400 remains the highest individual score in Test history.
Speaking on a podcast, Lara opened up about an awkward and humiliating moment during his first home Test, played in 1993 in Port of Spain, Trinidad—nearly two and a half years after his debut.
“I was so excited to finally play a Test in front of my home crowd,” Lara recalled. “I reached the stadium at 8:00 AM for practice, though the team was scheduled to report at 9:00. I was just so eager.”
But that enthusiasm quickly turned to anxiety. As senior players like Sir Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, and Malcolm Marshall arrived, Lara wanted to greet them. However, just as he reached the dressing room, he saw his cricket bag being flung out.
“Someone had thrown my bag out of the dressing room. When I walked in, all my gear was scattered. I later realized I had unknowingly placed my bag in Sir Viv Richards’ preferred spot. That must not have gone down well,” he said.
Too embarrassed to react, Lara picked up his belongings quietly and retreated to a spot near the bathroom. And there he remained—for five days.
“Yes, I literally spent the first five days of that Test in the dressing room’s bathroom area,” Lara confessed, reflecting on the kind of pressure and intimidation young players faced in a star-studded West Indies dressing room. “It taught me that when legends surround you, you have to tread very carefully.”
Lara also shared a more lighthearted memory from his childhood during the same podcast. He recalled how he and his brother would stay up late listening to radio commentaries when the West Indies toured Australia in 1975.
“We had three bedrooms at home, and our father only allowed us to listen to commentary for the first session. After that, we had to sleep because we had school early the next morning,” he laughed.
While the dressing room ordeal was traumatic, it was also a lesson in humility, hierarchy, and the unwritten rules of team culture. Today, Brian Lara is not just a legend but also a symbol of grace, patience, and perseverance.