Just two days before the crucial fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, tensions flared at The Oval as India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir found himself in a fiery altercation with the ground’s chief curator, Lee Fortis. The incident took place during India’s initial training session on July 29 and quickly spiralled out of control, prompting batting coach Sitanshu Kotak to intervene and de-escalate the situation.
According to a report by Revsportz, the friction didn’t stem from a one-off exchange—it was a result of repeated provocative and sarcastic comments made by Fortis, which ultimately pushed Gambhir over the edge. The Indian team had approached Fortis for a standard discussion on pitch conditions, hoping to gather insights about how the surface might behave over the next 48 hours to inform their strategy.
Instead of a professional response, Fortis reportedly replied with a mocking tone, saying, “I’ll grow more grass on this wicket over the next two days so you guys have trouble.” That comment didn’t sit well with the Indian contingent, and things only got worse when Gambhir, as head coach, went to inspect the pitch himself—something well within his rights.
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However, Fortis further inflamed the situation by telling Gambhir to view the pitch only “from two and a half meters away,” essentially restricting him to beyond the boundary rope.
🚨The Oval Pitch Curator, Lee Fortis provoked Indian team with sarcasm & comments about the pitch & icebox, sparking the altercation.
Full inside story on what really happened.@BoriaMajumdar @Wowmomo4u #Leefortis #GautamGambhir #ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/xZ6kdwTeTv
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) July 30, 2025
The friction wasn’t limited to just the pitch inspection. A member of India’s support staff attempting to bring an icebox onto the field was publicly reprimanded by Fortis, who demanded he walk all the way around the boundary instead of stepping onto the ground. Such behaviour was perceived as disrespectful and needlessly confrontational, which added fuel to the fire.
Matters came to a head when Fortis reportedly told Gautam Gambhir, “I will have to report this,” to which the Indian head coach shot back, “You go and report whatever you want.” Visibly irritated, Gambhir pointed at Fortis and said, “You can’t tell us what to do. You are just a groundsman—nothing beyond. You don’t tell us what we need to do.”
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Later, Sitanshu Kotak confirmed that Fortis had misbehaved not only with Gambhir but also with other support staff. He also highlighted that England coach Brendon McCullum and director Rob Key had inspected the pitch earlier without any objections, raising questions about the double standards in place for the visiting team. The incident has only added to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the final Test.
