Indian Coach Clashes with English Curator at Oval Ahead of Final Test

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated confrontation with Surrey's head groundsman Lee Fortis at The Oval ahead of the fifth and final Test against England. The dispute arose when Fortis objected to players and staff getting too close to the pitch during practice, with Gambhir dismissing Fortis by saying, "You're just the groundsman, nothing beyond," and telling him to "go f*** off" after Fortis threatened to report him to the match referee. Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak described Fortis as "arrogant" and explained the groundsman's demand for the team to keep a 2.5-meter distance from the pitch was seen as excessive, given the pitch would be used for the upcoming five-day Test. This incident occurred amid a tense series, with England leading 2-1 and both teams experiencing heightened emotions following recent on-field controversies. Fortis, a highly regarded curator, was protecting the pitch as the summer's cricket season continued, while India sought to salvage a draw in the series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India and Surrey were contacted for comment, but the episode highlights ongoing friction between the two sides during this competitive series.