Oval Test: Why Gautam Gambhir clashed with pitch curator
What's the story
A verbal spat erupted between India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and Lee Fortis, the pitch curator at The Oval, on July 29. The incident occurred ahead of the 5th and final Test between England and India scheduled at the iconic venue in London. During the altercation, Gambhir was heard saying "You are just a groundsman here" to Fortis in an aggressive tone, as per a report by India Today.
Heated exchange
How it all transpired at The Oval
The argument escalated with Gambhir telling Fortis to "go, report whatever you want to report, you are only a groundsman." Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had to intervene and take Fortis away while Gambhir continued his tirade from a distance. According to India Today, the two clashed because the curator was unhappy with "Indian players conducting throw-downs" on the square area of the pitch.
Incident aftermath
Fortis tries to downplay the incident
Fortis spoke to the media after the incident and tried to downplay it. He said he had never met Gambhir before Tuesday and added, "It is quite a big game coming up. It is not my job to be happy with him (Gautam Gambhir) or not." When asked about Gambhir's animated behavior, Fortis told reporters they could answer that themselves.
Stance
What happened next?
Fortis maintained his position on the matter and said, "It's okay, I am fine. We have nothing to hide." As per The Hindu, Gambhir returned to supervise the net session following the argument. He was involved in a discussion with the BCCI's chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar thereafter. On the other hand, Fortis was in talks with Surrey and ECB representatives.
Series
England lead five-match series 2-1
As mentioned, England and India are set to lock horns in the 5th and final Test at The Oval, starting July 31. The visitors earned a hard-fought draw on Day 5 of the Old Trafford Test, though England lead the series 2-1. The Ben Stokes-led English side won the series opener at Headingley. India bounced back at Edgbaston before suffering a narrow defeat at Lord's.