‘You’re just a groundsman, you don’t tell us what to do’

India's preparations for the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval got off to a rocky start after head coach Gautam Gambhir became embroiled in a heated argument with Lee Fortis, the head groundsman at Surrey. The incident unfolded during India's optional training session on Tuesday, with Gambhir seen gesturing and pointing at Fortis from a distance in what appeared to be a verbal altercation.

Having arrived in London after a drawn fourth Test in Manchester that kept the series alive, the Indian team resumed preparations with select players and coaching staff attending the optional session. As is customary, members of the support staff arrived early, with Gambhir and his assistant coaches joining them soon after.

While Fortis declined to comment on the nature of the dispute, ESPNcricinfo reported that the groundsman was displeased with India using a large portion of the main square during training. He also took issue with players and coaches getting too close to the match pitch, which is under preparation for the Test.

The confrontation escalated when assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak was seen speaking with Fortis, prompting Gambhir to step in. Fortis, audibly agitated, told Gambhir not to use foul language and warned that any further misconduct would be reported to the match referee. In response, Gambhir reportedly said, "You stop it. You don't tell us what we need to do. You don't tell any of my squad what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman—stay in your capacity. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond."

Fortis's concerns primarily stemmed from the busy summer schedule at The Oval, with numerous matches still to be played through early September. He was reportedly trying to preserve the pitches and minimize wear ahead of the upcoming fixtures. However, the Indian support staff conveyed that it was difficult to avoid the surrounding areas of the designated practice pitches.

Kotak later addressed the media, stating that the staff felt "awkward" when asked to keep a certain distance from the pitch, especially as they were not wearing spikes.

"When some of us coaches went to inspect the wicket, one of the groundstaff asked us to stay at least 2.5 metres away. That was a little surprising. The match is just two days away—it's a five-day Test—and we were standing in joggers. It felt a bit awkward," Kotak said.

While Kotak refrained from commenting directly on the incident between Gambhir and Fortis, he stressed that the coaches were careful not to damage the pitch. "We were simply observing the wicket while wearing rubber spikes. There's nothing wrong with that. Curators should also recognize that they're dealing with highly skilled and experienced individuals. If you inspect the ground where we practiced, you wouldn't even notice any wear caused by bowlers in the outfield. That's due to the discipline enforced by our head coach," he explained.

He also hinted that the situation may have escalated due to the tone in which the concerns were communicated. "When working with intelligent and highly experienced professionals, the way you communicate matters. You can be protective, but ultimately, it's a cricket pitch, not an antique. It's not 200 years old and fragile. It can be touched."

Kotak also questioned the groundsman's rationale: "We were on the square with rubber soles. Tomorrow, batsmen will be sliding to avoid run-outs, and bowlers will be diving to stop the ball. Maybe he's thinking we're trying to grow grass overnight. He mentioned wanting grass from one strip to grow onto the centre wicket. I don't know how much grass will grow in one day or how that impacts the next five days. We understand the need to maintain the ground, but at the end of the day, it's a playing surface."

England currently lead the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 2-1, with the deciding Test scheduled to begin at The Oval on July 31.