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Explained: Why Gautam Gambhir and The Oval's curator Lee Fortis got into verbal fight
A heated argument took place between India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and The Oval's chief curator Lee Fortis just two days before the final Test match between India and England. The incident occurred during India's practice session on Tuesday, July 29.
In a video going viral on social media, Gambhir is seen shouting angrily at Fortis near the pitch area. According to the Times of India, Gambhir said to Fortis, 'You can't tell us what to do! You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can't tell us what to do.'
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Lee Fortis responded to the controversy while speaking to reporters later in the day. He admitted that there was a tense moment with Gambhir. 'It is quite a big game coming up. I have never met him before today. You saw what he was like this morning. It's okay, I'm fine. We have nothing to hide,' Fortis said.
What happened between Gambhir and Fortis?
India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, later explained what happened. While talking to reporters after the practice session on Tuesday, he said the argument began when Indian players were inspecting the pitch and someone told them to stay 2.5 metres away from it.
'When we were having a look at the wicket, they sent a man to tell us to stay 2.5 metres away from the pitch. We were wearing joggers. We know curators are possessive about the square. What he said about the head coach is his opinion and I don't want to comment. But we did nothing wrong,' Kotak said.
'You can be protective about the square, but not arrogant. It's not an antique that you can't touch. He said they were trying to grow grass, but we were in joggers so we didn't see the problem. He yelled at the Indian support staff when they were getting ice box, it hardly weighs 10 kgs. The way he spoke, it was a bit arrogant. Everyone knows the curator at The Oval is not the easiest person to deal with,' he added.
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
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From what we know so far about the incident, it appears that there were two trigger points: first, when the Indian team management was told to stay 2.5 metres away from the pitch; and second, when a member of the support staff was yelled at while carrying an ice box near the pitch.
Full text of spat between Gambhir and Oval curator
Curator: Don't swear again, don't swear again or I'll report you to the match referee.
Gambhir: Go report. Go do whatever you want to do. Go F*** o** now.
Kotak and Curator in a conversation, Gambhir jumps in and tells Kotak: Tell this a**, tell him to f*** o** report it to the match-referee. Don't f***ing get into a discussion with him.
Curator: Inaudible
Gambhir: You stop it. Don't tell us what we need to do. You don't tell us what we need to do. You don't tell us what we need to do.
Curator: Inaudible
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Gambhir: Ok, you don't tell any of us what we need to do. You don't tell us. You don't have any right to tell us. You don't have any right to tell us what we need to do, ok? You are just a groundsman, so just stay in your capacity. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond that. Just a groundsman.
Curator: Inaudible
Gambhir: You are just a groundsman. Just a groundsman, stay in your capacity.
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