Gautam Gambhir Gets Angry at Pitch Curator Before 5th Test - Watch the Heated Moment

Reports from London say there was a big argument between India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and Lee Fortis, the main person who prepares the pitch at The Oval. 

This happened just before the 5th Test match against England. The fight has made the already exciting series even more tense.

The Argument

The argument happened on Tuesday, July 29, when the Indian team was practicing. Coach Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak went to look at the pitch.

The pitch curator, Lee Fortis, through someone else, told them to stay about 2.5 meters away from the pitch. This surprised the Indian team.

Things got worse when Indian support staff tried to bring an ice cooler onto the field. Fortis reportedly yelled at them. 

This seemed to make Gambhir very angry, as he always supports his team and staff strongly.

Gambhir's Strong Words

People who saw what happened said Gambhir was very upset. They heard him tell Fortis, "You don't tell us what to do. You are just a groundsman, stay like a groundsman." He was also seen pointing his finger during the heated talk. 

When Fortis said he would report Gambhir to the match referee, Gambhir replied, "Go report. Go do whatever you want to do."

India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak then stepped in to calm things down. He spoke to Fortis on the side. Kotak later said that the Indian team was surprised by how strict the curator was, especially since they were wearing soft shoes and not damaging the pitch. 

He also mentioned that the Oval curator is known for being "not the easiest person to get on with."

What Happened Next

After the argument, both Gambhir and Fortis went their separate ways. Gambhir went back to watch the team practice. It's not fully clear why Fortis acted that way, but the event shows how intense the India-England series has become.

This incident adds to other tense moments that have happened in the series, including arguments between players. 

As India hopes to draw the series in the important 5th Test, this argument before the match makes the final game even more eagerly awaited. India has decided not to make any official complaint about the incident.