LONDON: India head coach Gautam Gambhir found himself at the centre of an unexpected controversy on Tuesday after a verbal altercation with The Oval’s pitch curator, Lee Fortis, during India’s optional training session ahead of the fifth and final Test against England.
The confrontation occurred during the netsession, Gambhir was seen engaging in heated exchange with pitch curator. The exchange quickly escalated before India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak intervened. Kotak stepped in to pull Fortis away, while Gambhir, visibly agitated, continued the argument from a distance.
Despite the confrontation at the nets, Gambhir remained focused on the task ahead. However, the exact cause of the dispute remains unclear.
Notably, tensions have simmered throughout the series, spilling over on multiple occasions. It began at Lord’s, where Shubman Gill visibly expressed his displeasure at England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett arriving nearly 90 seconds late for their second innings.
The drama peaked in Manchester, where England, sensing an inevitable draw, offered to end play early. However, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined, both approaching personal milestones. Their decision didn’t sit well with Ben Stokes and his teammates, triggering a verbal spat on the field.