A couple of days before the final Test of the series, a verbal altercation broke out at The Oval involving Indian coach Gautam Gambhir and curator Lee Fortis.
The issue reportedly began when the Indian support staff walked close to the pitch area, which Fortis strongly objected to.
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According to batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, the curator yelled at the Indian staff and demanded they remain at least 2.5 metres away from the surface.
This didn’t go down well with Gambhir, who stood up for his team during the exchange. The incident quickly became a topic of discussion.
Michael Vaughan supports Gambhir’s reaction and questions the pitch preparation
Michael Vaughan, speaking on Sony Sports Network, said he understood why Gambhir reacted the way he did. He even admitted that he would’ve probably done the same.
"I would have been a lot more in the Gautam Gambhir kind of mode, of pointing the finger," said Vaughan.
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Vaughan pointed out that ground staff are usually very sensitive about the surface but added that if a simple water trolley or someone walking nearby could affect the outfield, then perhaps the pitch preparation itself needed scrutiny.
"Ground members are very precarious about the grass. It is a game of cricket. If you are going to play 11 vs 11 running around for five days, surely someone walking quite close to the surface is not going to affect the surface," he added.
Vaughan further commented that since India are trailing 1-2 in the series, tensions are naturally high. He felt that the incident has only added more drama to what was already a pressure-packed encounter.
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"To think that a team that is 2-1 down in the series and can't go on the surface and have a look and if a water trolley is upsetting your outfield so badly, suggest that the outfield is not prepared that well. It has brought more drama," he added.
The heated build-up and off-field drama have only added fuel to the fire. All eyes will be on how both teams handle the pressure, not just with the bat and ball, but also in terms of temperament.