“They would have used the choicest words” - Former India captain’s huge remark on pitch curator controversy in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar responded to Matthew Hayden's comments regarding the pitch curator controversy during the recently concluded fifth Test against England at The Oval. The former Australian opener had remarked that head coach Gautam Gambhir could have used better language while expressing his disappointment to the groundsman in question.

During the build-up to the series finale, Gambhir was involved in a war of words with curator Lee Fortis after being told to maintain a distance from the playing surface. During the heated exchange, the head coach was heard telling Fortis that he is just a groundsman, and nothing else.

“This is a typical case in England. It is a bit of a flex, here we are, final Test match, this is my venue, and they are going to try and make it difficult on Gautam Gambhir. But I think he’s got every right to tone it down. He could have used better language. But the reality is, his team is trying to train ahead of the most important Test match,” Hayden said on All Over Bar The Cricket (via India Today).

Dilip Vengsarkar called out the Australians' hypocrisy, saying that they would have torn the curator to shreds had they been treated in such a manner.

"As the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir had every right to see the pitch from close quarters. When teams tour India, their entire squad, not just the captain and coach, examines the pitch minutely. Even their media inspects the pitch before the match. No one tells them anything. So, how are the rules different when we are playing in England?" Vengsarkar told the Mumbai Mirror.

"Would Hayden, or any of the Aussie cricketers, take it well if a curator had asked them to stay away from the square ahead of an important match? If this had happened to the Aussies, they would have used the choicest words to show the curator his place," he added.

Team India assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak and skipper Shubman Gill had slammed the curator's antics ahead of the contest. Fortis, on the other hand, claimed that he was portrayed as a villain.

ICC yet to release rating for pitch used at The Oval in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

The ICC released the pitch ratings for the first four surfaces used during the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Headingley was awarded a 'Very Good' rating, but the pitches at Edgbaston, Lord's, and Old Trafford, only received a 'Satisfactory' rating by the officials.

The verdict on The Oval is eagerly awaited. The iconic venue sported a green top, which came as a stark contrast to the flat surfaces on offer for the majority of the series. The bowlers came into play in the series finale, as the first two days witnessed the fall of 21 wickets, before the surface eased up.