India head coach Gautam Gambhir was on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) concerned in a heated exchange of words with the Oval’s chief curator Lee Fortis and was heard telling him “you don’t tell us what we need to do” whereas pointing fingers on the floor employees.
The Oval will host the fifth and remaining Test between India and England from Thursday (July 31, 2025), and the Indian staff has hit the bottom operating two days after staging a exceptional comeback to attract the fourth match in Manchester.
During the coaching session, movies which have now gone viral on social media clearly confirmed an upset Gambhir getting right into a verbal altercation with the curator, prompting India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak to intervene and douse the scenario.
The tiff began when Fortis instructed Gambhir: “I will have to report this” and to that the Indian head coach replied fairly tersely: “You go and report whatever you want to report.” Kotak stepped in at this level, took the Englishman to a special nook and mentioned: “We won’t damage anything.” Other Indian assist employees akin to bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had been seen listening keenly to the argument.
While it was not clear why the 2 received into an argument, Gambhir and Fortis seemed to be arguing over the circumstances of the pitches for follow.
However, Gambhir turned again once more to inform Fortis that he shouldn’t be telling his facet “what to do.” “You can’t tell us what to do. You are just one of the groundsmen, nothing beyond,” Gambhir was seen telling in the video.
Fortis and Gambhir then went their separate methods, with the India coach returning to supervise the online session.
Later whereas strolling from the sector to his room, Fortis mentioned: “It’s a big game, and he (Gambhir) is a bit touchy.” Meanwhile Sai Sudharsan, who registered a half-century and a duck in the Manchester Test, was the primary one to reach on the venue for follow, the place left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was additionally seen placing in some arduous yards.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh too was seen bowling beneath the watchful eyes of Morkel.
