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India's Gill says Oval groundsman caused 'unnecessary' row

India's Gill says Oval groundsman caused 'unnecessary' row

France 244 days ago
Gambhir shared terse words on Tuesday with Lee Fortis at the Oval, the London venue for the fifth Test.
India trail 2-1 in the series ahead of the deciding match, which starts on Thursday.
Former India batsman Gambhir was caught on camera wagging his finger as Fortis towered over him, repeatedly stating: "You can't tell us what to do."
Gambhir was also heard adding: "You're just the groundsman, nothing beyond."
Surrey groundsman Fortis is understood to have been keeping a protective eye on the playing area during India's practice session, with plenty of cricket still to be played on it this season.
But India have insisted they simply wanted to have a look at the pitch and had done nothing to spark any kind of reaction from Fortis.
"What happened yesterday, I thought, is just absolutely unnecessary. I mean, it's not the first time that we were having a look at the wicket," Gill said on Wednesday.
The skipper, who has scored 722 runs in the four Tests so far, added: "As a captain, I don't know what the fuss was all about."
The series has become increasingly heated, with India refusing to shake hands on a draw early in the fourth Test in Manchester to allow Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja to reach centuries, a decision that angered England.
Gill previously accused England of ignoring the "spirit of cricket" with time-wasting tactics in the third Test at Lord's, where India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was fined for the aggressive send-off he gave to Ben Duckett.
But he said the incidents were not connected.
"I think I have already explained what happened at Lord's and about even the incident that happened on the last day in the previous Test," he said.
"Both the teams have been very competitive. And sometimes when you are competitive, you know, in the heat of the moment, you do or say things that you might not do (otherwise).
"But I think once the match is over, there is mutual respect between both the teams."
Despite India's superb rearguard action to earn a draw in Manchester, Gambhir remains under pressure.
Since he took over as head coach, India have won just two and lost eight out of 12 Tests.
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