INDIA coach Gautam Gambhir had a heated row with the Oval groundsman as his team prepared for their series decider with England.
The former opener could be seen repeatedly pointing his finger ahead of the Fifth Test in south London, which starts on Thursday.
Gautam Gambhir could be seen pointing his finger at The Oval’s chief curator
X formerly Twitter / @raysportz_cricGambhir continued pointing his finger while the groundsmen was talking to another member of staff[/caption]
A video from the Press Trust of India showed Gambhir in animated discussions with The Oval’s chief curator Lee Fortis.
And it appeared that Fortis threatened to report Gambhir, for unknown reasons.
The India coach was then heard replying: “You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can’t tell us what to do.”
Gambhir then continued: “You don’t tell us what to do, you’re just a groundsman.
“You’re just a groundsman… nothing beyond that.”
Sources at Surrey claimed Fortis was unhappy with members of the India team using the main square he was keen to protect.
And in an interview with India’s RevSportz following the incident, Fortis was asked if he was happy with Gambhir.
The Surrey curator replied: “It’s not my job to be happy or unhappy with him…
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“You saw what he was like in the morning, you’ll have to ask him.”
Later in the day, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak explained what he felt was the reason behind the incident.
He said: “When we were looking at the pitch, they asked us to stand 2.5 metres away.
“We were wearing joggers. It was very odd.
Looking at [the] wicket with rubber spike, nothing wrong. We see [the] ground is not damaged. Its a pitch, not antique.”
He added: “[The] curator yelled at [the] support staff when they were getting [an] ice box.
“Gambhir objected at that. The way he spoke irked Gambhir.
“Everyone knows [the] curator at The Oval is not the easiest person to deal with.”
The incident comes just two days after India got in an argument with Ben Stokes and the England team on the fifth day of the Fourth Test at Old Trafford.
With the match meandering towards a draw, Stokes offered to shake hands with the India team and end the day’s play.
But the tourists insisted on continuing playing so Ravi Jadeja and Washington Sundar could reach centuries.
In the video, England fast bowler Jofra Archer could be heard replying: “If you wanted a hundred you should’ve batted like it earlier!”
When the India players continued to insist on playing until they’d both got a hundred, Stokes relented – with a huge caveat.
He said: “You’re going to get the chance to do it against [batters] Harry Brook or Ben Duckett.”
Jadeja then managed to hit his century off Brook, after Stokes refused to risk his fast bowlers picking up injuries.
It meant the game ended in a draw and leaves England, who lead 2-1, needing to avoid defeat in the final Test to win the series.
GettyStokes speaks with Jadeja after the Fourth Test ends in a draw[/caption]
ENGLAND v INDIA TEST SERIES
ENGLAND lead the series 2-1 going into the final match
First Test (Headingley) – England win by five wickets
Second Test (Edgbaston) – India win by 336 runs
Third Test (Lord’s) – England win by 22 runs
Fourth Test (Old Trafford) – Draw
Fifth Test (The Oval) – July 31-August 4
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