"He asked us to step 2.5m away" - Indian batting coach opens up on Gautam Gambhir's spat with The Oval’s curator ahead of 5th ENG vs IND 2025 Test

England & India Net Sessions - Source: Getty
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has opened on head coach Gautam Gambhir's spat with The Oval's pitch curator Lee Fortis. Kotak revealed that Fortis asked India's coaches to stand 2.5m away from the wicket and also yelled at the Indian support staff, which irked Gambhir.

Ad

A massive controversy erupted on the eve of the fifth Test between India and England at The Oval, which starts on Thursday, July 31. A video went viral on social media in which Gambhir was seen having a heated argument with Fortis.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Kotak was asked about what exactly transpired between Gambhir and Fortis. The Indian head coach explained:

"When we went to see the wicket, the coaches were standing over there. He [Fortis] sent a person over there and asked us to step 2.5m away, which was a little surprising. It's a cricket wicket, a five-day Test is going to take place and we were wearing joggers.
Ad
"Curator yelled at support staff when they were getting ice box. Gambhir objected at that. The way he spoke irked Gambhir. Everyone knows curator at The Oval is not the easiest person to deal with," he went on to add.
Ad

The 52-year-old went on to add that while curators are bound to be over-protective, they must also understand that they are dealing with intellectual people, who have played a lot of cricket. He elaborated:

"We all have been on the ground enough, have played so much cricket. We all know that curators are little over-protective or possessive about the square and ground and all. What he said about head coach, I don't really want to comment. That's his opinion and everyone in this world has their opinions.
Ad
"Just looking at the wicket with rubber spikes, there is nothing wrong there. The curators also need to understand that the people they are talking to are highly skilled and intelligent people. It's a cricket pitch, not an antique which you cannot touch, which is 200 years old and can be broken. Maybe he is thinking that we are trying to grow some grass, that's what he felt," Kotak quipped.
Ad
Ad

The Indian batting coach, however, clarified that India is not going to lodge any official complaint against the curator over the matter.


What The Oval's pitch curator said about his argument with Gambhir

Earlier, The Oval curator defended himself over the controversy and termed the Indian head coach a 'bit touchy'. Speaking to reporters while sharing his version of events, Fortis said:

Ad
"You saw what he was like this morning. He's a bit touchy! There's no side of the story. You'll have to ask him that. I'm okay we've have got nothing to hide here."

Meanwhile, England are 2-1 up in the five-match Test series. India will need to win the last Test at The Oval to level the series.

Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news

Quick Links

Edited by Renin Wilben Albert
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications