Gambhir wags finger, Fortis labels India coach ‘touchy’: How did tensions first escalate at Oval?
Involved in a heated exchange with Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir was reportedly seen wagging a finger at The Oval curator on Tuesday. “You don't tell us what we need to do,” Gambhir was heard as the head coach pointed fingers at the groundstaff in London.
Clips from the training session, including the verbal spat, have become the talk of the town on social media in the build-up to the 5th Test between India and England. India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed that Gambhir got into a heated argument after members of the staff were told to stay “2.5 metres away from the wicket”. Kotak, who intervened and doused the situation, also confirmed that the visitors will not be filing any complaint.
Who lit the fuse?
"I think when we went to see the wicket, the coaches were there and they sent a man who said, 'stay 2.5 meters away from here'. It was a bit awkward as we were in our joggers. So when you are working with very intelligent and highly skilled people, if you sound a bit arrogant or if you come across like, you know, you can be protective, but at the end of the day, it's a cricket pitch. It's not an antique where you can't touch because otherwise it's 200 years old, and it can be broken, you know,” Kotak told reporters in a news conference.
‘Go and report whatever’
According to Indian news agency PTI, the disagreement began when Fortis informed Gambhir that he “would have to report this”, prompting the Indian head coach to respond, “You go and report whatever you want to report.” While bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate remained tight-lipped during the argument, Kotak stepped in and asserted that the staff ‘won’t damage anything’.
‘You’re just a groundsman’
Exchanging verbal volleys over the pitch conditions at The Oval, Gambhir turned to Fortis and told him he had no right to instruct the Indian camp. “You can’t tell us what to do. You’re just one of the groundsmen, nothing beyond that,” Gambhir was heard saying in the video.
‘Gambhir is a bit touchy’
In the aftermath of the explosive clash with Gambhir, pitch curator Fortis returned from the field to his room and briefly addressed Indian reporters. “It’s a big game, and he’s a bit touchy. No, I don’t want to say anything. Quite a big game coming up, isn’t it,” Fortis said.
Fortis even added that he had never met Gambhir before and chose not to comment on his temperament. “I don’t know about him. I’ve never met him before. I don’t know, he must have played here. You saw what he was like this morning. You saw it,” he concluded. England will meet India in the Test series decider on Thursday.