Wasim Jaffer rejects allegations of religion-based selections as Uttarakhand coach 

Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer, who recently resigned as Uttarakhand coach, has rejected allegations by officials that he favoured religion-based selections in the team.

Wasim Jaffer quit as Uttarakhand coach on Tuesday citing interference and bias of selectors and the association’s secretary regarding non-deserving players.

In a virtual press conference, he rubbished claims by the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand officials that he favoured Muslim players. Stating he was extremely hurt by the allegations, Wasim Jaffer said:

"The communal angle that has been brought up, that is very, very sad. They levelled an allegation that I am in favour of Iqbal Abdulla, I wanted to make Iqbal Abdulla the captain, which is absolutely wrong."

Wasim Jaffer was appointed head coach of Uttarakhand in June last year on a one-year contract. Uttarakhand managed to win only one of five matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year.

I did not call any Maulavi: Wasim Jaffer

The 42-year-old, who retired as the leading run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, also dismissed allegations that he brought Maulvis (Muslim religious scholars) to the team’s training sessions. Responding to the charges, Wasim Jaffer said:

"First of all, they said the Maulavis came there in a bio-bubble and we offered Namaz. Let me tell you one thing, the Maulavi, Maulana, who came on two or three Fridays during the camp in Dehradun, I did not call him. It was Iqbal Abdulla who sought mine and the manager’s permission only for the Friday prayer.”

The ex-cricketer, who played 31 Tests for India, also explained that the prayers were even conducted after the team’s training, so there was no real reason to create a controversy. Wasim Jaffer went on to say:

"While we do our daily prayers in the room, the Friday prayers have to be done in a gathering so he thought it would be better if someone comes over to facilitate it. We did the namaz in the dressing room for five minutes after the nets. If I was communal, I could have adjusted the practice timings according to our prayer timings but that's not the way I am."

The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand secretary Mahim Verma, earlier, rejected Wasim Jaffer's claims of “interference in selection”. Verma responded by saying that the Jaffer was given everything he had asked for since his appointment as head coach.