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‘You can’t go and ask the coach not to inspect pitch': Curator slammed; Gautam Gambhir 'had every right of losing it’
Parthiv Patel defended Gautam Gambhir after a dispute with curator Lee Fortis about pitch access before India vs England 5th Test at The Oval.
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel came out in strong support of head coach Gautam Gambhir following his fiery exchange with Lee Fortis, the chief curator at The Oval, during India’s training session ahead of the fifth and final Test against England.
Describing Gambhir’s reaction as justified, Parthiv said the head coach had “every right to lose it” when Fortis asked the Indian contingent to stay 2.5 metres away from the pitch during their inspection on Tuesday.
“It’s unfortunate that kind of incident has happened. But Gautam had all the right of just losing it. As a curator, obviously, you can’t go and ask someone not to inspect the pitch,” Parthiv told PTI Videos.
Gambhir, a former India opener and known for his no-nonsense approach, was seen confronting Fortis in a widely circulated video where he stated, “You don’t tell any of us what we need to do… you are just a groundsman, nothing beyond.” Fortis, in response, warned he might report the incident.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who was also present during the altercation, later described Fortis’ conduct as unnecessarily rigid. “When we went to take a look at the wicket, the coaches were there. Someone came and said ‘stand 2.5 metres away,’ which was a little surprising. Day after, there is a Test match—we had joggers on, not spikes—and it felt a bit awkward,” Kotak told reporters.
Kotak also noted that Indian players had previously flagged Fortis as “not the easiest person to work with,” adding, “It’s okay to be protective and possessive about the pitch, but not to this extent.”
Parthiv, who has played under Gambhir in the past and is now mentoring the Outer Delhi Warriors in the Delhi Premier League, doubled down on the idea that pitch inspection is well within a head coach’s responsibilities.
“That’s the head coach’s role. What else are you expecting? If a head coach won’t go and inspect the pitch, that’s not possible at all,” he said. Parthiv further described the incident as reflective of an “entitled behaviour” that he suggested was becoming common in England’s cricketing environment.
With the fifth Test starting Thursday and India trailing the series 2-1, Parthiv expressed confidence in the team’s ability to level the series. “We’ve played really well. Even in tough situations, the team has responded with character. India has been great throughout the series and definitely has a strong chance of making it 2-2.”
He also backed young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who is likely to replace the injured Rishabh Pant in the lineup. “Dhruv Jurel is an equally able player. We’ve seen what he’s done in the home series last year against England,” Parthiv said. “Obviously, you can’t fill in the shoes of Rishabh Pant. But Dhruv has shown he’s a capable player to represent India.”
As the spotlight remains firmly on the Oval after the coaching staff’s run-in with ground officials, Gambhir’s fiery leadership style is once again at the center of attention—this time with solid backing from a former teammate.
