Gautam Gambhir's Tense Exchange with The Oval Curator Before Final Test

Heated Confrontation at The Oval

London [UK], July 29: Ahead of the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir found himself in a tense verbal exchange with Lee Fortis, the chief curator at The Oval in London.

During a practice session on Tuesday, Gambhir confronted Fortis regarding the practice facilities, leading to a heated argument. As he walked away, the Indian coach gestured animatedly and expressed his frustration verbally. Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, intervened, attempting to calm the situation by speaking with Fortis.

While Kotak worked to ease tensions, Gambhir remained vocal, asserting, “You don’t tell us what to do,” while gesturing towards Fortis from a distance.

Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach, joined Kotak in the discussion with Fortis, while Gambhir continued to voice his concerns. Fortis briefly responded to Gambhir before departing the scene.

When approached by reporters for comments on the incident, Fortis opted to remain silent, stating, “It’s not my job to be happy with him. You’ll have to ask him.”

Kotak, along with other members of the Indian management, was seen explaining the situation to an English official, with Kotak taking the lead in the conversation. Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector, was also present during these discussions.

This dramatic exchange reflects the heightened emotions that have characterized the previous two Tests in London and Manchester. In the third Test at Lord’s, tensions escalated when captain Shubman Gill confronted Zak Crawley, believing the English opener was deliberately wasting time to prevent India from bowling another over.

Further drama unfolded during the final hour of the fifth Test at Old Trafford, where Jadeja and Sundar, both nearing their centuries, refused to accept a draw as the match approached its conclusion.

Following the tension, England bowled some loose deliveries, allowing Jadeja to hit a six and secure his fifth Test century. Stokes was heard on the stump mic asking Jadeja if he wanted to score a century against Brook and Duckett, to which Jadeja replied, “What do you want me to do, just walk off?” Crawley, nearby, suggested, “You can, just shake your hand.”

With India trailing 1-2 in the series, they managed to keep their hopes alive as the fourth Test ended in a draw, aiming for a 2-2 finish in the five-match series.