The Anderson-Tendulkar trophy between India and England was nothing short of a cinema. Apart from the 25 days of thrilling cricketing action, the series also saw some heated and controversial moments, to the extent that it even involved a verbal altercation between India's head coach and the curator of the Kennington Oval.
Lee Fortis, the pitch curator at the Kennington Oval in London, has now reignited the controversial verbal spat with the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir, seven days after the incident happened and two days after India clinched a thriller against the hosts.
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I was never the villain: Lee Fortis on his verbal spat with Gambhir
Gambhir and Fortis were involved in a heated exchange just two days before the start of the fifth Test at the Oval. The India coach, along with his staff, were told to stay 2.5 meters away from the centre of the pitch by Lee Fortis while he was inspecting the wicket.
However, how the information was conveyed to Gambhir did not sit well with him, as he was seen fuming at the pitch curator. The matter further escalated when Fortis approached India's assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, prompting Gambhir to intervene as he hurled some harsh words towards the ground staff.
MORE: The Oval ground staff reacts to spat with Gautam Gambhir - "He is a touchy guy"
Speaking to PTI, Fortis has now re-ignited the controversy as he claimed that he was made to look like a villain, while he wasn't really at fault. He further feels that the incident created a negative image for him in front of the Indian cricketers and fans.
"Well, I was never the villain; I was made into one. Hope you guys enjoyed the show, and the atmosphere was like the IPL. It was a great game, said Fortis.
Meanwhile, India ended their tour to England on a high as they came back in some style to win the fifth Test at the Kennington Oval and level the series 2-2. They defeated the hosts in the last Test by just 6 runs in a nerve-racking thriller.
MORE: "Everyone climbs on Gambhir" - Sidhu slams India coach's critics
What next for the Indian Test cricket team?
The Indian Test team will return to action in October, when they face West Indies in a two-match series on home soil.