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Oval curator didn't stop England coach McCullum and ECB director from inspecting pitch but when Gambhir went close...
Gautam Gambhir had a heated exchange with curator Fortis over pitch access. India said Fortis didn't have any issues with England coach inspecting the pitch.
The build-up to the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval took a dramatic turn after India head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with Surrey’s chief curator, Lee Fortis. The incident, which unfolded during India’s training session on Tuesday, sparked debate—not just for the confrontation itself, but for what appeared to be a double standard in how Fortis handled the two competing teams.
According to the Indian team’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, the confrontation began when Fortis asked the Indian coaching staff to stand 2.5 metres away from the pitch during their inspection. This unusual request immediately offended the visitors.
“It was a bit surprising,” Kotak said. “Day after, there is a Test match, and we were just taking a look at the surface wearing joggers, not spikes. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”
What raised eyebrows further was Fortis’s apparently relaxed approach when England head coach Brendon McCullum and ECB managing director Rob Key visited the ground a day earlier in casual attire to assess the pitch. According to Kotak, Fortis did not raise any such instructions or objections then.
“That’s what made it awkward. England’s staff came in the day before in casual clothes and nobody told them where to stand or not stand,” Kotak noted, implying inconsistency in Fortis’s conduct.
What Sparked the Gambhir-Fortis Flashpoint
The situation escalated when Fortis reportedly shouted at one of India’s support staff not to bring a 10-kilo cooling box near the main square, despite no visible risk to the playing surface. This public rebuke angered Gambhir, who snapped back at Fortis:
“You don’t tell any of us what we need to do, you have no right to tell us, you are just a groundsman, nothing beyond.”
Fortis replied tersely: “I will have to report this.”
Kotak, who tried to defuse the situation, later explained: “Gautam just said, ‘Don’t talk to our support staff like that.’ It’s natural for any head coach to step in when someone talks down to the team. Everyone on staff, whether it’s the coaches or support, comes under the head coach.”
"It’s a Cricket Pitch, Not an Antique"
Kotak also hinted that the tone of Fortis’s communication had been an underlying issue.
“Curators need to understand that they’re dealing with highly skilled, intelligent professionals. We’re extremely careful around the pitch. No one had spikes on, and nothing was damaged,” Kotak said. “You can be protective—but not to the point of arrogance.”
He continued: “This isn’t an antique that’ll break if you touch it. Come match day, players will be diving and sliding all over that square.”
Known Friction with Fortis?
Interestingly, Kotak also suggested that the Indian camp had been warned in advance.
“Before we even got to The Oval, a few players had mentioned that the curator is not the easiest person to work with. I think you all saw that today,” he said.
Despite the incident, the Indian team has decided not to file a formal complaint with the ECB. Meanwhile, Surrey County Cricket Club, which owns The Oval, has refrained from issuing any official statement. Sources close to the groundstaff said Fortis was simply trying to protect the heavily used main square, which hosts over 60 days of cricket annually.
