Oval curator says he was cast as villain in Gambhir spat

The Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis is opening up about the aftermath of his altercation with India coach Gautam Gambhir.

England hunted for a win in the fifth and final Test to seal the series 3-1, while India needed a victory to draw the five-match series earlier this month.

However, tensions mounted on both sides after India coach Gautam Gambhir engaged in a verbal spat with Lee Fortis, the chief curator of the Oval.

Their altercation stemmed from the Surrey groundsman’s insistence that India players and staff should maintain their distance from the square housing the main pitch.

Following the altercation, India batting coach Sitansu Kotak claimed that Lee Fortis shouted at the India staff, which irked Gautam Gambhir.

“We all have been on the ground enough, we have played so much cricket. Curators are possessive about the ground and the square, but they need to understand that they are speaking to highly skilled and intelligent people,” Kotakl said during a press conference at the time.

Read more: Ben Stokes reacts to Gambhir-Oval curator’s spat on pitch

While the Oval curator, at the time, said that the verbal exchange was not a big thing, he is opening up about the aftermath of the incident.

“Well, I was never the villain; I was made into one. Hope you guys enjoyed the show, and the atmosphere was like the IPL. It was a great game,” Lee Fortis said in an interview with an Indian media outlet.

The Oval groundsman, however, transformed into a hero after the final Test between England and India went on for five days.

The thrilling finale ended with India securing a six-run victory over the hosts to draw the series 2-2.