India's head coach Gautam Gambhir found himself at the centre of a tense moment ahead of the fifth and final Test at The Oval, engaging in a heated verbal exchange with chief curator Lee Fortis. The confrontation took place during India's practice session at The Oval, London.
Video footage shows Gambhir pointing fingers and agitated, though the exact reason for the clash remains unclear.
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With England leading the five-match series 2-1, India's draw at Old Trafford in the fourth Test has kept their hopes alive. A win at The Oval would help them square the series and walk away with a level finish - far from ideal but certainly better than a series defeat.
Gautam Gambhir's verbal spat with Oval curator
According to a report by Press Trust of India, Gambhir was visibly annoyed with Fortis and reportedly told the curator, "Don’t tell me what to do."
VIDEO | Indian team's head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen having verbal spat with chief curator Lee Fortis at The Oval Cricket Ground in London ahead of the last Test match of the series starting Thursday.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 29, 2025
After having drawn the fourth Test at Old Trafford, India have a chance… pic.twitter.com/hfjHOg9uPf
While it is still unknown what sparked the exchange, the timing has made it more relevant - with India needing to win the Test to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.
India's players were going through their training routine when the incident took place. There is no official word from the BCCI but reports suggest that the pitch preparation may have been at the centre of the disagreement.
Following a hard-fought draw in Manchester, India have a real shot at squaring the series.
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But with selection dilemmas still looming - Jasprit Bumrah's workload, Kuldeep Yadav's potential inclusion and uncertainty over the bowling combination - Gambhir's confrontation adds another layer of pressure to the build-up.
Whether the exchange was a one-off or part of a larger disagreement over pitch conditions remains to be seen. But with the series on the line, emotions are clearly running high in the Indian camp.