Before the 5th and last Test match between India-England, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir clashed with a pitch curator at The Oval, London. The incident took place during India’s training session on Tuesday. According to the news agency PTI, India’s head coach was heard saying to the groundsman Lee Fortis, “You are just a groundsman here.” However, the reason behind this conflict is not clear.
As the debate increased, Gambhir told Fortis, ‘Ja, what to report, you are just a groundsman.’ During this, Gambhir also abused some.
The debate took place in the nets when the players were running the run-up. As soon as Gambhir and Fortis started a sharp debate, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak came and he intervened. He took the pitch curator separately while continuing the debate from the serious distance.
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India did an alternative practice session at The Oval on Tuesday. The Indian team reached London on Monday after a brave draw played in Manchester.
Gambhir versus pitch curator: what was said in debate
Curator: “Don’t abuse, if you abuse again, I will complain to the match referee.
Serious: Go report, do whatever you want to do, go out now.
Kotak and curator talk among themselves (things are not clear).
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Gambhir (from Kotak): “Say it, say it, report, report to the referee. Do not talk to it.”
Curator: (Not hearing anything)
Serious: “You stop. Don’t tell us what to do. What we have to do, you will not decide.”
Curator: (Not hearing anything)
Serious: “You don’t tell us anything. You have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman. Stay in your status.”
Curator: (Not hearing anything)
Serious: “You are just a groundsman. Nothing, just the groundsman. Stay in your limits.”
The team then participated in an event held at the Indian High Commission in London, where Gambhir gave a fiery speech about the team’s performance in this Test series. He said that the team has shown a great game and has performed a demonstration that every cricket lover will be proud.
The final Test match of this series will start on Thursday, 31 July. India will expect to win this match and equalize the series 2-2.
England’s squad for the fifth Test match: Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gas Atkinson, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Bridon Cars, Jack Carouly, Liam Dawson, Ben Docket, Jamie Overton, Oli Pope, Jo Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tung, Chris Woks.
Indian squad for fifth test: Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Ishwar, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurlel (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Narayan Jagadishan (wicketkeeper), Jaspreet Bumrah, Jaspreet Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, famous Krishna, Akash Deep, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav.
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