Just two days before the final Test of the Anderson- Tendulkar jewel, a heated exchange took place between India head trainer Gautam Gambhir and The Oval’s principal watchman Lee Fortis during Team India’s practice session. The incident unfolded on Tuesday when Gambhir was seen in a verbal wrangle with Fortis over pitch access, egging fur trainer Sitanshu Kotak to step by and calm effects down.
The pressure reportedly began when Fortis approached Gambhir and expressed concern about the platoon’s propinquity to the pitch area, allegedly saying, “ I’ll have to report this. ” Gambhir, easily unhappy with the tone, fired back, “ You go and report whatever you want. ”
Substantiations claim Gambhir further told Fortis, “ You can’t tell us what to do. You’re just one of the groundsmen, nothing beyond. ” The situation snappily escalated, with both sides raising their voices before walking down. When asked about the altercation, Fortis appeared frustrated and was eavesdropped saying, “ It’s a big game, and he’s a bit touchy. ”
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
Still, when Indian intelligencers requested an on- record comment, Fortis denied making the statement and chose not to unfold further, only saying, “ It’s not my job to be happy or not with him. ” Clips of the argument began circulating on social media shortly after the incident. Trainers Morne Morkel and Ryan ten Doeschate were seen observing the occasion from a distance.
Despite the dramatic scene, no sanctioned statement has been released by either the BCCI or ECB regarding the matter, leaving room for enterprise among suckers and media likewise. latterly, Kotak explained that the disagreement stemmed from the watchman’s exorbitantly defensive gets.
#WATCH | London, UK: Lee Fortis, Oval Pitch Curator says, "It is quite a big game coming up. It is not my job to be happy with him (Gautam Gambhir) or not. I have never met him before today. You saw what he was like this morning. It's okay, I am fine. We have nothing to hide…" https://t.co/3K5jjnpTiw pic.twitter.com/FQ8LuDYjQM
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2025
“ They asked us to stay 2.5 measures down from the pitch, indeed though we were wearing joggers. It felt gratuitous, ” he said. He emphasized that janitors should trust the professionalism of educated support staff, adding, “ It’s just a justice pitch, not an antique piece that will break if touched. ”