A heated confrontation erupted at The Oval between India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the head groundsman, Lee Fortis, just days before the crucial fifth and final Test match against England. The incident, caught on camera and widely shared online, has added fuel to an already fiery series, with England leading 2-1.
Reports indicate the clash stemmed from a disagreement over the Indian team's use of the main square for practice. Fortis apparently objected to the placement of a cool box on the square and was generally unhappy with players and coaches getting too close to the pitch. According to India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, Fortis "shouted and told the support staff not to take it there," considering the proximity to the pitch. Kotak described Fortis as being "a bit arrogant" and that he was also unhappy with the Indian team standing too close to the pitch while inspecting it. He said that Fortis asked the team to stay 2.5 meters away and it felt odd because the Test match was the next day. Kotak added, "It's just a pitch, not a 200-year-old antique!".
Gambhir, visibly agitated, was seen wagging his finger at Fortis, asserting, "You can't tell us what to do… you're just the groundsman, nothing beyond". He also reportedly said, "You don't tell any of us what to do". The situation escalated when Fortis threatened to report Gambhir to the match referee, to which Gambhir retorted, "You can go and report to whoever you want". In a video shared online, Gambhir was heard using expletives, telling Fortis to "go f*** off".
Kotak intervened to mediate the situation, even patting Fortis on the shoulder in an attempt to defuse the tension. He later explained, "It is good to be a little possessive and it is also good to be protective, but not that much. Gautam just said do not talk to the support staff like this". He also stated, "Most of the team knows that the curator is not the easiest person to get on with. So, that gives a lot of answers".
Following the incident, Fortis attempted to downplay the altercation, stating, "It is quite a big game coming up. It is not my job to be happy with [Gautam Gambhir] or not," and "It's OK, I am fine. We have nothing to hide". He also mentioned he had never met Gambhir before that day. When questioned about Gambhir's behavior, he suggested reporters draw their own conclusions.
The incident has sparked debate, with some observers suggesting that Fortis was being overly protective of the pitch, while others believe Gambhir's reaction was unwarranted. Some reports indicate that the Oval's ground staff have threatened to lodge a complaint against Gambhir. Others have pointed out a possible double standard, where the England coach was given more time to inspect the pitch, while Gambhir's request for additional time was denied.
This confrontation is the latest in a series of tense moments during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. Heated verbal exchanges and disagreements have been a recurring theme, contributing to the already high stakes of the final Test match. With England leading the series 2-1, the pressure is on India to perform well at The Oval, and this off-field drama adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
