Uttarakhand cricket: Jaffer refutes communal bias allegations

New Delhi, Feb 10 : Former India batsman Wasim Jaffer on Wednesday rejected allegations by Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) officials that he tried to force selections in the state team for the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the basis of religion. Jaffer, who was Uttarakhand coach, resigned from the position on Tuesday, citing interference and bias of selectors and the association’s secretary for choosing players.
Uttarakhand won just one out of five matches in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and were eliminated in the group stage. Among allegations levelled against Jaffer was that he had recommended bowling all-rounder Iqbal Abdullah’s name for captaining the team. The former India Test batsman said that he had, on the contrary, recommended batsman Jay Bista’s name for captaincy and Abdullah was recommended by the CAU secretary Mahim Verma and chairman of selection committee Rizwan Shamshad.
“I told them that we need to make Jay Bista the captain. I said that he is a young player and I want him to lead the side. They agreed. But on arrival, Shamshad and Verma said that let us make Iqbal the captain. I said okay. Make him [captain],” Jaffer told IANS.
“It is very sad. I had written everything in my email. Obviously, they gave no reply, so they are looking to divert it by levelling [communal] allegations against me,” he further said.
Jaffer also said that there was a lack of communication betwene him and Rizwan-Verma, and they made wholesale changes to the team after the dismal performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy without taking his inputs.
“When we came back from Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the selector and secretary Verma took out the team. Changed the captain. Made 11 changes, they didn’t even tell me (and) announced the team. So, I said how will this go on. You are not even asking me and not talking to me. That is the reason why I resigned. They do not want to take my inputs. Don’t want to see what I want to see and do,” said Jaffer.