Double standards, biased treatment: Why did Gautam Gambhir blast the Oval pitch curator?
There is no dearth of heat in the five-match Test series between India and England. The matches have all been hard-fought as it all comes down to the final fixture at the Oval. The visitors will fight to avert a series defeat, while the hosts would eye a 3-1 close to the India vs England series. However, before the battle begins on the field, one broke out in the build-up to the Oval Test. India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, lost his cool at the pitch curator, Lee Fortis, as the Indian camp arrived at the venue for an optional training session. While the videos of the incident went viral on social media like a raging fire, the guests have now provided the details leading up to the outburst of Gambhir.
Curtis shouted at Indian support staff: What triggered Gautam Gambhir at the Oval?
The pitch curator at the Oval, Lee Fortis, is not new to such controversies. The head groundsman at the Oval, Fortis is known for being overly protective of his surface. Recently, reports emerged about the groundsman clashing with the touring Indian Women's team over the conditions at the venue. While that incident remained largely under the covers, the latest with India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir at the helm, is too big to be hushed down. On Tuesday, July 29, just two days ahead of the next fixture in India cricket schedule, clips emerged online where an enraged Gambhir could be seen lashing out at Lee Fortis.
The clip shows Indian players gearing up for their practice session while the chat between Gambhir and Fortis escalates into a heated argument. India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, could be seen separating the two while Gambhir repeatedly directs Fortis to not tell his team what to do. The clip, furthermore, showed Gambhir reminding the Oval pitch curator of his stature, a statement that could harm the Indian head coach if an official complaint is filed against him.
“You don’t tell any of us what we need to do, you have no right to tell us, you are just a groundsman, nothing beyond," Gambhir hurled at Fortis, who said that he'd have to report his conduct. "You can go and report to whoever you want," Gambhir shot back at Fortis.
Meanwhile, India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, has provided a detailed explanation of the behaviour that triggered Gambhir. Kotak explained that Fortis told the Indian camp to stay 2.5 meters away from the Oval pitch. Fortis' request, or rather, an order, seemed irrational to Gambhir and the Indian group, as Kotak informed that none of the members were wearing spikes that could have damaged the surface. Moreover, Fortis' inhibition in allowing the visitors to analyse the pitch condition appears biased. Just a day before his altercation with Gambhir, Fortis had allowed Brendon McCullum, the English coach, to take a detailed stock of the surface.
“It was a bit surprising,” Kotak said. “Day after, there is a Test match, and we were just taking a look at the surface wearing joggers, not spikes. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life," Kotak explained further. “That’s what made it awkward. England’s staff came in the day before in casual clothes and nobody told them where to stand or not stand,” he added.
Sitanshu Kotak highlighted that Fortis did not object to McCullum and Rob Key, the ECB managing director, from closely monitoring the pitch. However, it was not just the hypocrisy that crossed Gambhir. The head groundsman, apparently, shouted at the Indian support staff for bringing a cooling box near the square. The reportedly 10-kilo box posed no threat to Fortis' prized surface. His demeanor against the support staff was the nail in the coffin, setting off Gautam Gambhir.
“Gautam just said, ‘Don’t talk to our support staff like that.’ It’s natural for any head coach to step in when someone talks down to the team. Everyone on staff, whether it’s the coaches or support, comes under the head coach. It’s a cricket pitch, not an antique," Kotak said. “Curators need to understand that they’re dealing with highly skilled, intelligent professionals. We’re extremely careful around the pitch. No one had spikes on, and nothing was damaged. You can be protective, but not to the point of arrogance," he added.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Indian team has opted against lodging a formal complaint with the ECB. On the other hand, Surrey County Cricket Club, the custodians of The Oval, have chosen to remain silent, offering no official comment. Sources suggest that those within the establishment are backing the head curator, maintaining that he was simply fulfilling his responsibility to keep both players and support staff off the main pitch area.
The India vs England series is poised at a crucial juncture ahead of the final Test. India showed immense grit to force a draw in the Manchester Test, pushing Bazball to the corner. The fourth India vs England Test clearly fazed the English, as witnessed by the antics displayed by Ben Stokes in the concluding hour of the match. However, the series will move on to the Oval, where the visitors will try to claim a series draw with a win in the last fixture.
