Tensions flare during pre-match pitch inspection
Two days before the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval, a confrontation between Gautam Gambhir and Surrey’s head groundsman Lee Fortis turned the spotlight from cricket to controversy.
According to multiple reports, the friction began when Fortis ordered India’s coaching staff to maintain a 2.5-meter distance from the pitch during a standard pre-match inspection. Gambhir, who was present with other assistant coaches, reacted sharply after Fortis scolded a support staff member for moving an ice box near the square.
“You stop it. You don’t tell us what we need to do. You don’t tell us what we need to do, okay. You don’t need to tell us. You don’t tell any of my squad what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You’re just a groundsman, you stay in your capacity. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond. You are just a groundsman.”
The moment, captured on video and widely circulated, set off a media storm and drew responses from across the cricketing world.
Kotak defends team’s conduct and questions pitch protocol
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak addressed the incident at a press conference, outlining in detail what transpired during the team’s visit to inspect the pitch.
‘When we went to take a look at the wicket the coaches were there, someone came to us and said stand 2.5 metres away, which was little surprising. Day after there is a Test match, we had our joggers on not spike and it felt a bit awkward. I have never seen anything like that in my life.’
‘Before we even got to The Oval, a few players had mentioned that the curator is not the easiest person to work with. I think you all saw that today.’
‘[We were] just looking at the wicket, with rubber spikes, day after there’s a Test match there, there’s nothing wrong [with that]. Curators also need to understand the people they are talking to, they are highly skilled and intelligent. For example, if you go on the ground now where we practised, you won’t even see that any bowler in the outfield would have marked with his spikes. That all comes from the head coach. We try and see this ground also doesn’t get damaged.’
‘When you’re working with very intelligent and highly-skilled people, if you sound a bit arrogant or if you come across like… you can be protective, but at the end of the day it is a cricket pitch. It is not an antique where you can’t touch, because otherwise if it is 200 years old it can be broken.’
‘We were standing there [on the square] with rubber [spikes]. You tell me a day after a batsman will be sliding to survive a run-out, a bowler will be sliding to stop the ball, so you tell me; maybe he [Fortis] is thinking we are trying to grow the grass. I mean I don’t know. He said that we are trying to get this grass [on] the next wicket to the centre wicket. I don’t know how much grass will grow in one day and what will happen in the next five days. [We understand] You want your ground to be good, the square to be good, but end of the day it is a cricket pitch.’
Gambhir defends staff amid rising tensions
Kotak said that the incident escalated when Fortis yelled at one of India’s support staff over an ice box being brought near the square — something Kotak believes was blown out of proportion.
‘He yelled at the Indian support staff when they were getting ice box, it hardly weighs 10 kgs. The way he spoke, it was a bit arrogant. Everyone knows curator at The Oval is not the easiest person to deal with.’
Kotak explained why Gambhir felt the need to respond strongly.
‘Gautam just said, Don’t talk to our support staff like that. It’s natural for any head coach to step in when someone talks down to the team. Everyone on staff, whether it’s the coaches or support, comes under the head coach.’
Accusations of double standards
Kotak also pointed to a lack of consistency in how England’s staff were treated compared to the Indian contingent.
‘That’s what made it awkward. England’s staff came in the day before in casual clothes and nobody told them where to stand or not stand.’
‘The Indian players had told me that he is not the easiest person to work with. Now you all know. It is okay to be protective and possessive about this pitch but not to this extent.’
‘We know curators are possessive about the square. What he (head groundsman) said about the head coach is his opinion and I don’t want to comment. We did nothing wrong.’
Fortis files complaint, reportedly frustrated with India’s use of main square
According to ESPNcricinfo, Fortis was not happy with the Indian team using the majority of the main square for their training session. He was also concerned by a few players and coaches getting too close to the pitch.
Publicly, Fortis offered little insight when questioned by reporters.
“You’ll have to ask him (Gambhir) that.”
“We’ve got nothing to hide here.”
“[Gambhir is a] touchy guy.”
“I don’t want to say anything. It’s quite a big game coming up, isn’t it.”
“Am I happy? It’s not my job to be happy or not with it.”
During the exchange, Fortis reportedly warned Gambhir:
“Don’t swear.”
“If you continue to do so, I will have to report to the match referee.”
Irfan Pathan accuses English media of villainizing Gambhir
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has been one of the most vocal critics of the episode, calling out what he sees as systemic double standards.
“So an English coach can walk onto the pitch to inspect it? but an Indian coach can’t? Are we still stuck in the colonial era?”
In a YouTube video, Pathan expanded on the incident and media portrayal:
“This curator has a history of being rude. There are several instances of him being behaving in such a way with overseas teams’ captains and coaches. This isn’t the first time. The process of Gambhir being villainised has been going on in the media for a long time now.”
He pointed out photographic evidence of England head coach Brendon McCullum being allowed onto the pitch without issue.
“We end up laying red carpet for the visiting teams in India. When we go overseas, we follow the rules and it’s something nobody should have a problem with. There’s a photo on Twitter of the same curator standing with Brendon McCullum (England coach) on the same pitch two days before a match. Gambhir also went two days before. How can you then deny him? England’s coach is allowed but not Indian. It feels we are still living in the 1947 era. I cannot accept this (double-standard).”
He concluded by underscoring the practical need to examine the surface:
“If you won’t get to inspect the pitch, how will you plan for the game? You have to get a feel of the pitch by touching it – how hard it is, is there moisture in it? You can’t have that by staring from 2.5 meters. This was an unnecessary controversy.”
A symbolic controversy ahead of a decisive Test
As the Oval prepares for the series-deciding fifth Test, India trails 2-1 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. But the headlines leading into the match are now dominated by a clash that has reignited questions of respect, equality, and legacy in international cricket.
While both teams have much at stake on the field, off it, the controversy has exposed lingering tensions in how global cricket culture treats power, protocol, and professionalism — especially when the visiting team is from the subcontinent.
