Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer has resigned as the head coach of the Uttarakhand state side citing external interference in selection, claiming outside forces used their power to select ‘non-deserving’ players. With just 1 win, Uttarakhand finished fourth in Elite Group C in SMAT 2020/21.
After announcing his retirement from professional cricket last year, Wasim Jaffer announced that he was going to start a new chapter in his career by taking up the role of the head coach of Uttarakhand state side. It has, however, become a chapter to forget for the 42-year-old as the former Indian opener, days ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, has announced that he is resigning as the head coach.
Jaffer’s Uttarakhand side notched up just one victory and finished fourth in Elite Group C in the 2020/21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but the 42-year-old revealed that he was resigning owing to external interference in selection. Jaffer claimed that there was bias from selectors and secretary and stated that external forces used their power to give opportunities to non-deserving players.
“It’s with great sadness that I’m writing this email to inform you all that I would be resigning from the post of head coach of the senior CAU team with immediate effect,”Jaffer wrote in an e-mail to the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand, reported TOI.
“I feel really sad for the players as I genuinely think that they have lots of potential and can learn so much from me but are denied this opportunity because of so much interference and bias of selectors and secretary in the selection matters for non-deserving players.
“If the honorary secretary of CAU would want to inculcate such kind of work environment while not letting me take certain decisions pertaining to the team’s welfare and performance… then I don’t think there’s any valid reason for me to continue as head coach of the men’s senior team of CAU.”
Cricket Association of Uttarakhand’s secretary Mahim Verma, who Jaffer accused of being dishonest, however, denied the claims made by the former Indian international and insisted that the association gave the 42-year-old everything he asked, including his own, hand-picked support staff.
“We gave him whatever he asked for, had a pre season camp for a month, let him choose his outstation players, trainer and bowling coach but his interference in selection matters was getting too much,” Verma said.
“After the result in Mushtaq Ali did not meet our expectations, the selectors wanted to try out a few other players but he kept insisting on picking his own team which is not right as selectors are there, too, to do their job.”
Coaching Uttarakhand aside, Jaffer also, last year, worked as the batting consultant for the Kings XI Punjab franchise in the Indian Premier League. Though Punjab failed to make the playoffs, multiple KXIP batsmen enjoyed success in the tournament, with skipper KL Rahul winning the Orange Cap.
