VIDEO: Gambhir involved in heated exchange with The Oval staff
- By Web Desk -
- Jul 29, 2025

India coach Gautam Gambhir was seen engaged in a verbal spat with a staff member of The Oval ground on Tuesday.
The two sides are set to face off in the fifth and final Test at the venue on July 31, with England leading the series 2-1.
England won the opening Test by five wickets in Leeds, however, India levelled with a win in the second game in Birmingham.
England got an upper hand in the India vs England series after winning the third Test at Lord’s by 22 runs on the final day of the game, while the fourth game at Old Trafford resulted in a draw.
As the two sides are busy practising at The Oval, India coach Gautam Gambhir seemed to have been irked by the actions of Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis.
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A viral video of the incident showed Gambhir having an animated chat with Fortis, reportedly due to a disagreement over the use of the square housing the main pitch.
“You can’t tell us what to do!” the India coach was heard saying while pointing his finger in the direction of Surrey’s head of ground staff.
Reports said that India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak intervened and separated the two after their heated exchange.
Reportedly, Fortis threatened to launch a complaint against Gautam Gambhir, who shouted back, “You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can’t tell us what to do.”
Speaking to the media after the altercation, The Oval ground staff head downplayed the incident, saying that he had no issue with the India coach.
“I’ve never met him before, he must’ve played here. You saw what he was like this morning. I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him. There’s no side to the story,” Lee Fortis said.