Deeply Saddened to Explain Myself After Playing for India for So Long: Wasim Jaffer

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has come out swinging on the accusation of communalism which were levelled against him by the Secretary of the Uttarakhand Cricket Association. The 42-year-old said that after playing for India for so long, he is saddened to justify himself.

Also read: Communal Charges Leveled Against Ex-Uttarakhand Coach Wasim Jaffer; Latter Refutes Them

Earlier the state cricket association had alleged that as head coach Jaffer pushed players of his religion into the playing eleven. Speaking to CNN News-18, he refuted those claims and cited the muslim players who are playing from the state.

"During Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, we had Iqbal Abdullah, who has played IPL, U-19 World Cup winner. Samad Falla, who has more than 300 First Class wickets They are playing as professional players, first of all. And there is just one Muslim player Mohammad Nazir and he didn’t even play a single game in the whole tournament. If I was a communal person, I would have played them all the matches. Let’s not even get there, it’s really sad that I have to come on this platform and explain these things after playing for India for so long," Jaffer said.

Also read:Wasim Jaffer Controversy Takes Another Ugly Turn, CAU Secretary Says Coach 'Had Many Issues'

He said that being the head coach the secretary and other cricket officials must have consulted him before picking the team. He said CAU secretary Mahim Verma signed the team without informing him.

"I am the one who is standing up for the guy who are deserving. I even fought for the deserving guys during the Mushtaq Ali Trophy and I had told this to the secretary, that if you are bringing me onboard do give me your support and freedom and with the right process we will have the right results. But when we came back from Mushtaq Ali, the secretary picked his own team and signed it without even informing me. The captain was changed…You want to pick your team, fine...let’s sit down on the table and discuss this. I spend so much time with the players, I know them. The secretary and the other officials, they don’t spend so much time. After playing for so many years, I have an eye for who is good and who isn’t."

He said the whole communal angle is nothing but a 'cover-up.'

"This communal angle is a cover up and that is such a sad thing that people can go so low. They need a cover up, a communal angle for a cover up and it is really a sad thing for me to come out and explain myself."

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