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Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had a heated exchange with pitch curator at The Oval. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak intervened as and the ground staff threatened to complain.
Gautam Gambhir in a heated exchange with pitch curator Lee Fortis (X/PTI)
Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with pitch curator Lee Fortis at The Oval on Tuesday.
Indian reporters at the scene suggest that The Oval’s ground staff have threatened to lodge a complaint against the Team India head coach.
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VIDEO | Indian team’s head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen having verbal spat with chief curator Lee Fortis at The Oval Cricket Ground in London ahead of the last Test match of the series starting Thursday.After having drawn the fourth Test at Old Trafford, India have a chance… pic.twitter.com/hfjHOg9uPf
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 29, 2025
ALSO SEE | ‘Go F*** Off, You Are Only A…’: Gautam Gambhir Goes Ballistic At Oval Curator, Video Viral
What Happened Between Gautam Gambhir And The Pitch Curator?
As per reports, Gambhir looked visibly upset and was seen pointing fingers as batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had to intervene. He, too, went on to have an animated discussion with Fortis.
As per visuals, Sitanshu Kotak was also seen speaking to ECB representative and the Surrey media manager.
Reports indicate that the confrontation occurred in the nets when Indian bowlers were marking their run-up areas. Known for his intense on-field persona, Gambhir was seen shouting at Fortis in full public view. The exact cause of the dispute remains unclear.
The tiff started when Fortis told Gambhir: “I will have to report this” and to that the Indian head coach replied rather tersely: “You go and report whatever you want to report.”
Gambhir was reportedly heard telling the curator, “You don’t tell me what to do”. The specific issue remains unclear, but it clearly agitated Gambhir, who did not hesitate to express his displeasure. Fortis was later seen in a lengthy conversation with Kotak, likely explaining his position.
Initially, the pitch curator walked away from Gambhir to speak with Kotak. However, Gambhir continued to voice his opinion, pointing fingers and confronting Fortis. Eventually, Fortis and Gambhir separated, with Gambhir returning to oversee the training session.
Despite the confrontation at the nets, Gambhir remained focused on the task ahead. Speaking at the event, he acknowledged the high stakes of the final Test: “Both teams have thrown a lot of punches and have fought for every inch. We have got one more week to go, one final push to make and one more opportunity to make our country and people out here proud.”
The fifth and final Test between India and England gets underway on Thursday (31 July) as Shubman Gill’s team will have a chance to level the five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which the hosts lead 2-1.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha… Read More
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