The Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has been involved in an altercation with the Oval ground staff just days ahead of the fifth test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
In a video shared online, Gambhir, who seemed frustrated, can be seen gesturing at head groundsmen Lee Fortis and telling him to ‘fuck off’.
“Go report whatever you want, go f**k off,” said Gambhir. “You don’t tell us what we need to do.”
“You don’t tell us what to do. You’re just the groundsman, stay in your capacity!” Gambhir could be heard saying.
“Don’t swear again or I have to report you to the match referee,” Fortis then replies.
However, in a later interview, Fortis said that he was fine after the incident. “It is quite a big game coming up. It is not my job to be happy with [Gautam Gambhir] or not,” he said.
“I have never met him before today. You saw what he was like this morning. It’s OK, I am fine. We have nothing to hide.”
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed in his press conference that the confrontation at India’s optional session at The Oval on started because Fortis’ was unhappy with a cool box being placed on the squad.
Tempers flare at The Oval as Gautam Gambhir had some words to say to the ground staff! 🔥
Here’s what really happened! 👀#ENGvIND 👉 5th TEST | Starts THU, 31st July, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/CLjzjMWST5
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 29, 2025
“He was sitting on the roller, he shouted and told the support staff not to take it there,” Kotak said. “It is good to be a little possessive and it is also good to be protective, but not that much. Gautam just said do not talk to the support staff like this.
“Most of the team knows that the curator is not the easiest person to get on with. So, that gives a lot of answers. When you’re working with very intelligent and highly skilled people, if you sound a bit arrogant or if you come across like … you can be protective. At the end of the day it is a cricket pitch. It is not an antique where you can’t touch.”
But earlier reports indicated that staff had questioned the presence of the Indian players and coaches in that part of the ground.
Ground staff reportedly told Gambhir to inspect the pitch for the final Test starting Thursday from behind the ropes.
However, several social media posts has emerged pointing out Fortis’ has had different rules in the past with a photo emerging online of the curator and England coach Brendon McCullum standing on the pitch together before the 2023 Ashes Final.
The drama comes after tensions between two teams after England’s spirit of game was questioned in the Manchester Test.
Ben Stokes were accused of lack of sportsmanship on day five of the fourth test where India refused to draw early and allowed Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to reach triple figures.
England leads the series 2-1 and the final test will be played on July 31 and August 04 at The Kia Oval.
