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Time of India
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 5th Test: The Oval curator shares his version after heated exchange with Gautam Gambhir
The Oval curator Lee Fortis had a heated exchange with Gautam Gambhir before the fifth Test between India and England. ( in London: The Oval curator Lee Fortis has presented his side of the story after getting into a heated and animated exchange with India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday. During the exchange, Gambhir was spotted pointing fingers at the ground staff member and yelling out, "you don't tell us what we need to do." "You saw what he was like this morning. He's a bit touchy!," when asked to share specifics. Fortis said, "There's no side of the story. You'll have to ask him that," when prodded to share why Gambhir got upset. IND vs ENG: Gautam Gambhir loses cool during heated exchange with ground staff at The Oval ahead of 5th Test Fortis evaded multiple attempts at providing facts of what transpired between him and the former India batter. "I'm okay. We've got nothing to hide here," he said. The Indian team are in London for the fifth and final Test between India and England starting Thursday. England lead the series 2-1. The confrontation seemingly occurred over practice pitch conditions, requiring batting coach Sitanshu Kotak's intervention to defuse the situation. Kotak stepped in to resolve the situation, taking Fortis aside for a lengthy discussion in one corner of the practice area. Following the intervention, both Gambhir and Fortis went their separate ways, with the India coach returning to supervise the ongoing net session. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Launch your PM career IITD PM Apply Now Undo India come into the fifth Test two days after securing a remarkable and memorable draw at Old Trafford in Manchester while being on the brink. In team news, can report that Arshdeep Singh will make his Test debut at The Oval with chance to level the series for India. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Arshdeep Singh all set to make his Test debut at The Oval
Manchester: India's Arshdeep Singh during a practice session ahead of the fourth test cricket match between India and England, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, in Manchester. (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) (PTI07_22_2025_000376B) India are very likely to hand a Test debut to Arshdeep Singh in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The seamer has recovered from the hand injury which needed stitches and bowled at full tilt in the optional net session today. It is understood that the management had him in the plans for the last two Tests, but his injury made him unavailable in Manchester. With Arshdeep very likely to get into the XI, India's bowling combination is set to be rejigged once again. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep are likely to be the other two seamers, and a late call could be taken, if needed, on Jasprit Bumrah. "Playing red-ball cricket for the country is the ultimate dream of any cricketer. The same is with Arshdeep," Arshdeep's childhood coach Jaswant Rai tells " Wo pak chuka hai (He is ripe now). He should get a chance to play with the red ball. He can bring the balance that India has been looking for so long. India vs England, The Oval Test: Arshdeep Singh is fit and available for selection "He has patiently done the hard yards, and I might sound biased, but he deserves the Test cap. If not in England, then where?" With his incredible skill to swing the ball both ways and his dexterity to hit the 6m length consistently, Arshdeep Singh is arguably the best of his type India has had since Zaheer Khan. Only time will tell how well he is going to do at the Oval, but one thing is certain—he won't have a jersey fear. Poll Do you believe Arshdeep Singh will perform well on his Test debut? Yes, he will excel No, he will struggle It's too early to tell The 25-year-old has already played 63 T20Is and nine ODIs, and is a World Cup winner. Arshdeep was one of India's heroes in the T20 World Cup, the tournament's joint-leading wicket-taker with 17 dismissals to his name. It was he who bowled the 19th over in their famous T20 World Cup victory and kept things tight, conceding just 4 runs to strangle the South Africans in the final. " Asli pressure toh paanch din waala hota hai (Real pressure is playing in the five-day game)," he told in Ahmedabad, when asked about the pressure of an IPL final. Even before the selection for the England tour, his eyes were set, and in the past one month, he has worked hard on his bowling with bowling coach Morne Morkel keeping a close eye. The fifth Test between India and England will start on Thursday. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Gautam Gambhir gets into massive fight with The Oval's groundstaff; India staff required to step in
in London: Team India head coach and the groundstaff of The Oval were involved in a heated exchange on Tuesday, two days before the start of the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Team India, who reached London on Monday, were scheduled to have their first practice session on Tuesday. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir was reportedly unhappy with the facilities provided to the visiting team. The conversation escalated into a major altercation, leaving coach Gambhir visibly furious. He was seen repeatedly pointing fingers at the ground staff and shouting, 'You can't tell us what to do!' The situation became tense, and the duo had to be separated by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and other members of the Indian support staff. has learnt that The Oval's ground staff have threatened to lodge a complaint against the India head coach. Unfazed, Gambhir reportedly shouted back, 'You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can't tell us what to do.' The fifth and final Test of the series is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: England captain Ben Stokes reacts after India batters decline handshake, draw offered on Day 5 of 4th Test
Ben Stokes with England teammate (PTI Photo) in Manchester: In an unusual end to the fourth Test at Old Trafford, England skipper Ben Stokes on Sunday offered a handshake to signal a mutual draw, only to be refused by Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both closing in on individual centuries. While the moment drew reactions ranging from amusement to tension, Stokes later revealed his reasoning during the post-match press conference. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'With the draw inevitable, I wasn't going to risk any of our main bowlers,' Stokes told reporters in the post-match press conference. 'There's a big game coming up in just three days, and we've had a heavy workload. It was just about protecting our resources.' Stokes, who had been nursing visible discomfort and admitted to being 'physically a bit bad", emphasised the need to manage player fatigue. 'It's been a big week at Lord's and here again. Pain is just an emotion, but everyone's a bit sore. We'll need to use the rest period wisely,' he added. Poll Was Ben Stokes' handshake offer to India a good sportsmanship gesture? Yes, it showed respect No, it was an unnecessary distraction At the time of the handshake offer, India were 386/4 with a 75-run lead, having fought back from 0/2 early in their second innings. Jadeja (89 not out) and Sundar (80 not out) had batted England out of the contest with a gritty 150-run stand, showing no signs of slowing down. Stokes's offer, though rooted in practicality, was declined, and the decision made waves. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mini House for 60 sqm for Seniors with Toilet and Bath (Price May Surprise You) Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo Sarcastically asking if they 'wanted to score a hundred off Harry Brook ,' Stokes received a humble reply from Jadeja: 'I can't do anything.' Jadeja later sealed his century with a six off Brook. Sundar also got his ton later. India's captain Shubman Gill defended the choice to continue batting, saying, 'It was up to the boys, but we felt they batted brilliantly. Both of them were in their 90s, and we believed they deserved to get to their centuries.' While England may have found the moment frustrating, it was a reminder of how individual milestones and strategy often shape cricket's unwritten scripts, especially in the longest format. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Gautam Gambhir's fiery press conference: Slams critics, gives updates on Pant and Bumrah, blasts England over handshake drama
Gautam Gambhir (Sahil Malhotra-x) in Manchester: India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed pride in his team's resilience after they drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford to stay alive in the series. Speaking after the match, Gambhir said the players had laid the foundation of a team that believes in fighting for the people back home. 'Many wrote us off. This is the foundation of the team. I don't believe in transition, this is the best 18. Just a little bit of inexperience,' Gambhir said in his press conference. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On comparisons with his own famous knock in Napier during 2009, Gambhir was firm that this group is carving their own path. 'This team will not follow anyone and doesn't want to follow. They want to fight for the common man back home. The way people had written us off before the start of the game, this is the foundation of this team that the people sitting in the dressing room want to fight for the country.' There was praise reserved for Shubman Gill , who scored his fourth hundred of the series. 'There was no doubt on Shubman Gill's talent. Those who had, they only know to talk about cricket. There is no burden of captaincy on Gill.' Gambhir also confirmed that Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the final Test at The Oval due to his serious foot injury. 'Any amount of praise is not enough for him, to bat with a broken foot. Generations should talk about it. It's unfortunate.' He brushed aside concerns over team selection and said everyone available had been picked with clear roles in mind. 'We don't drop anyone. We pick the best XI. We felt a left-hander at No.3 against this attack would have been better. Anshul Kamboj also was picked because we thought he would do well in overcast conditions.' Poll Do you think India's resilience in the fourth Test will help them in the final match at The Oval? Yes, definitely! No, I don't think so. There was no update on Jasprit Bumrah , but Gambhir confirmed that all quick bowlers are currently fit. He also acknowledged the centuries by Jadeja and Sundar, saying, 'If someone is batting on 90 or 85, won't you allow them to score a hundred? Both those guys deserved hundreds and fortunately they got it.' Looking ahead to the Oval Test, Gambhir was clear. 'I believe in results and we are still down 2-1, hopefully we will try and make it 2-2.' India will head to The Oval needing a win to square the five-match series. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
