Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, became involved in a tense verbal exchange with Lee Fortis, the head groundsman at The Oval, during the team’s optional training session before the fifth Test match. The disagreement began when Fortis requested that members of the Indian team maintain a distance of at least 2.5 metres from the main square—an instruction the team found surprising, as they were wearing rubber‑soled shoes and taking reasonable precautions.
Tensions escalated when staff wheeled a cooling box onto an area Fortis was protecting, prompting Fortis to intervene. At that point, Gambhir reportedly confronted him, stating firmly that Fortis did not have the authority to dictate their actions, reminding him that he was “just a groundsman,” and asserting the professional integrity of his squad. Assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak quickly stepped in, gently separating both parties and engaging Fortis in conversation to defuse the situation.
Kotak later emphasized that the Indian team had been respectful in their use of the ground and expressed regret that Fortis’s over‑protectiveness had created unnecessary friction. Fortis himself played down the incident afterward, describing Gambhir as “touchy” and declining further comment. Despite speculation, India confirmed they would not lodge a formal complaint. The exchange adds another layer of intensity to a Test series already characterized by on‑field disagreements and serves as a controversial backdrop to the crucial decider at The Oval – where India trail England 2–1 and must win to avoid a series defeat.
