Just a few days before the last Test against England, there was some tension at The Oval. India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir had a small fight with the pitch curator, Lee Fortis. Gambhir and others were looking at the pitch when Fortis told them to stay 2.5 meters away.
Pitch Dispute Involving Gambhir and Lee Fortis
Fortis’s abrupt tone reportedly didn’t sit well with Gambhir. In response, the coach snapped back, saying, “You are just a groundsman, stay in your capacity.” The exchange quickly made its way onto social media, stirring conversation among fans and pundits.
A day later, another video surfaced, this time showing a calmer scene. Fortis again approached the Indian group, asking them to move back. But this time, the interaction was much less tense and everyone complied without any visible pushback.
On Wednesday, Gambhir returned to the pitch with captain Shubman Gill, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. As Fortis again requested them to move aside, Agarkar led the way in stepping away, followed shortly by the others.
Sitanshu Kotak Reveals Details of the Shouting Incident
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak later addressed the media, shedding light on an earlier confrontation. He said Fortis had shouted at the support staff when they placed a cooling box near the pitch, even though it weighed just around 10 kilos.
“No, when he was bringing the cooling box there, he was sitting on the roller, he shouted and told the support staff not to take it there. Now the weight of that cooling box will be 10 kilos, according to me. It will not be more than that. And what we are doing there, ” Kotak said in the press conference.
He added that while it’s okay to be particular about the pitch, Fortis had gone overboard. “So, it is good to be a little possessive, and it is also good to be protective, but not that much. So, then Gautam just said that do not talk to the support staff like this, because the support staff, we all come under the head coach. Any head coach will say that you cannot shout from there and say this, ” he explained.
When Lee Fortis met Gautam Gambhir again…#ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/rw9JLgqD8N
— Sandipan Banerjee (@im_sandipan) July 30, 2025
Shubman Gill Says No Similar Rules at Other Venues
India captain Shubman Gill also spoke about the unusual pitch regulations at The Oval, saying nothing like this had happened at previous grounds during the series.
“I don’t know what exactly happened yesterday and why the pitch curator did what he did. We have played four matches, and no one tried to stop us. Everyone has played so much cricket, and the coaches and the Captain have gone and seen the wicket so many times. I don’t know what the fuss was all about, ” Gill said.
As the final Test nears, the incident may fade away, but the spotlight on The Oval’s pitch drama remains strong.
ALSO READ: Shubman Gill Fires Back At Oval Curator: ‘No One Told Us to Stay Away from Pitch’
