Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, and Lee Fortis, The Oval’s head groundsman, got into a heated argument just days before the fifth Test against England that would decide the series. The heated argument, which was caught on video, has made the already competitive tour even more tense.
What started the heated argument? India Alleges Unfair Treatment at Oval
Reports say that the fight started on Tuesday during India’s optional training session. Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, said that the coaching staff was looking at the pitch for the next Test when the ground staff told them to stay 2.5 meters away.
Things got worse when Fortis allegedly yelled at a member of India’s support staff for bringing a water-cooling box to the edge of the main square. This made Gambhir step in and talk to the curator face to face.
‘You Don’t Tell Us What to Do’
Gambhir was clearly angry during the argument, which lasted for several minutes. He pointed his finger at Fortis. Gambhir can be heard saying in the video:
“You don’t tell any of us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman—stay in your capacity. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond.”
Fortis is said to have told him that he would have to report the incident. Eventually, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stepped in to calm things down by talking to Fortis.
After the event, Sitanshu Kotak talked to the press about how the team saw things:
“When the support staff was getting the cooling box… the curator shouted at them. That’s when Gautam confronted him and told him he can’t talk to the support staff like that,” Kotak said. “It’s a cricket pitch, not an antique that you can’t touch.”
Kotak also said that the Indian team thought they were being treated differently because the England coaching staff had been able to get closer to the pitch without any problems. The Indian team doesn’t plan to file a formal complaint, but they are still upset about what happened.
Tensions Boil Over at The Oval
The fight adds a lot of drama off the field to the important fifth Test. India needs to win at The Oval to tie the series, which England is currently leading 2-1. This fight, which shows how tense things are between the two sides, will make people even more interested in the last match.
