Oval Curator's Double Standard Exposed; Fans Tear Into Lee Fortis As England 'Trample' Pitch
Gautam Gambhir had a heated exchange with Lee Fortis at the Oval. Social media highlighted double standards as England's team inspected the pitch.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with Surrey's head groundsman at the Oval, Lee Fortis, ahead of Thursday's final Test against England, marking the latest incident in an increasingly tense tour.
What caught the attention of social media was the double standards of the hosts. X, formerly Twitter, users pointed out that the England contingent 'trodded' all over the pitch, shadow batting and what seemed like inspections of the square.
pic.twitter.com/wuNxCDEOM8 — DIVYANSH CHAUHAN (@Imchauhan28) July 30, 2025
BEN STOKES AND MCCULLUM WITH PITCH CURATOR LEE FORTIS-inspection at oval pitch pic.twitter.com/iu0MoQ2RJH
— Ajay. (@Crycloverajay) July 30, 2025
With the pitch i can see double standards of Lee Fortis (Pitch Curator) #ENGvIND https://t.co/U11JF2TXlC — Call it Cricket 🏏 (@CallitCricket) July 30, 2025
So apparently, Lee Fortis is offended.The same man who's made a name more out of tantrums than turf.If stirring up friction was a stat, he'd top the ICC rankings.Too bad this time he picked a fight with Gambhir — not the wisest move. #INDvsENG #OvalTest #LeeFortis #TeamIndia — Vineet kumar Nanda (@vineet_1812) July 30, 2025
While Ben Stokes' team rested ahead of the decisive fifth Test, the Indian team practiced in the nets to salvage a 2-2 draw. Gambhir was seen having a terse conversation with Lee Fortis, Surrey's lead curator, at the London ground. The 58-Test veteran was caught on camera pointing his finger as Fortis stood over him, repeatedly asserting, 'You can't tell us what to do" and 'You don't tell any of us what to do." Gambhir further commented, 'You're just the groundsman, nothing beyond."
Fortis was reportedly monitoring the playing area during India's practice, with numerous cricket matches scheduled for the season. After conversing with India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who acted as a mediator, Fortis informed Gambhir he might be forced to lodge a complaint against him. Gambhir responded, 'You can go and report to whoever you want."
It remains unclear whether India has concerns regarding the pitch, which is expected to offer more pace and bounce than in previous matches, potentially benefiting England's fast bowlers. The home team's attack has struggled at times, including during India's second innings at Old Trafford, where the bowlers managed only four wickets in 143 overs, leading to a draw in the fourth Test on Sunday.
The series has become increasingly heated, with India refusing to shake hands on a draw early in Manchester to allow Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja to reach centuries, a decision that angered England. India captain Shubman Gill accused England of ignoring the 'spirit of cricket" with time-wasting tactics in the third Test at Lord's, where India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was fined for an aggressive 'send-off" given to Ben Duckett.
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July 30, 2025, 16:17 IST
News cricket Oval Curator's Double Standard Exposed; Fans Tear Into Lee Fortis As England 'Trample' Pitch
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