Hate Ideology is slowly spreading like a cancer in our Beloved sports, Cricket! Wasim Jaffer Controversy.

The Last month after an amazing victory over Australia, Indian cricket team was praised by all for their unity as every player was enjoying the success of each other. Everyone starting appreciated the fact that despite such a diverse country with different religion, caste, culture and languages was able to get along well and play in unity for one common goal, that is to do well for the nation.

But Just last week controversy of Wasim Jaffer, the former head coach of Uttrakhand and the Uttrakhand association of cricket spoiled the reputation of our most beloved game, Cricket as "hate" took over as centre stage than the game we love the most. Incidents of hate in recent days are on rising as extremists from both ends is trying to damage the Peace and diversity of the country, which everyone praises India for that. The controversy relates to selection which now has taken a communal angle.

Last Tuesday, Jaffer step down as head coach of Cricket Association of Uttrakhand (CAU) alleging that there was a lot of interference from the selection committee and CAU secretary Mahim Verma when it came to team selection. Contending that he had turned down various coaching roles, Jaffer said that changes were made to the team without keeping him in the loop and there were "many roadblocks".

"Towards the end, they selected the team for Vijay Hazare Trophy and I was not kept in the loop. They changed the captain, 11 players were changed, if things have to go down like this, then how can one work? I am not saying that I will select the team, but if you do not take my recommendation then what is the point of me being there," he was quoted as wondering.

The controversy took off when CAU alleges that Jaffer is selecting a player based on religion and not performance. Jaffer refuted the allegations and said, "I recommended Jay Bista for captaincy, not Iqbal but CAU officials favoured Iqbal," he wrote on a Twitter post. 

In a press conference, he had contended that it was Rizwan Shamshad and the other selectors who suggested that Iqbal be selected. "I agreed to their suggestion," he said. Jaffer added that he was not invited for a meeting when the Senior Selection Committee was finalising the Vijay Hazare Trophy team. As per the norm, selectors and coaches unanimously decide a team.

Now CAU is even alleging that Jaffer activities were also communal as he changed the slogan abruptly along with he invited Maulvi's in the training session was somewhat communal. To which Jaffer replied, "He said that the players chanted no slogans. "A few players from the Sikh community used to say 'Rani Mata Sache Darbar ki Jai'. So, I once suggested that we should have something like "Go Uttarakhand" or "Come on, Uttarakhand" instead. Like, when I used to be with Vidarbha, the team had "Come on, Vidarbha" as its slogan. And it wasn't me who chose the slogan, it was left to the players," he added.

Jaffer said had he been communal, he would have directed the players to chant 'Allah hu Akbar' and scheduled practice in the morning and offered namaaz in the afternoon. While responding to Maulvi allegation, Uttarakhand left-arm spinner Iqbal Addullah on Thursday claimed that he had the team manager’s permission to invite a maulvi to the dressing room for leading the Friday namaaz during last month’s training session in Dehradun.

The former India opener had alleged that officials and selectors of the state association were pushing for the inclusion of “non-deserving players” in the team to which he strongly disagreed and raised voiced.

Opinion 

The hate ideology is slowly spreading like cancer in the Indian cricket setup which is very disheartened to see. Our beloved game is also getting exposed to the hate and the venom being spread in name of religion. The reason why India struggle to grow as a nation was always due to fights and conflicts within the nation as unity is always missing. Politicians of this country utilize this opportunity for political mileage rather than the inspiring nation to work in unity for the betterment of the country. Hope cricket stays away from this mess and hate ideology in future.