Former Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden has shared his perspective on the much-talked-about spat between Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis ahead of the fifth Test between India and England. The heated confrontation unfolded during India’s practice session, where Gambhir was seen pointing a finger at Fortis and telling him, “You don’t tell any of us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us, you’re just a groundsman, nothing more.”
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak quickly stepped in to calm the situation, guiding Fortis aside to have a private word and diffuse the tension.
Speaking after India’s thrilling six-run victory in the fifth Test, which ended the series 2-2, Hayden acknowledged that Gambhir had every right to stand his ground, but suggested his language could have been more measured.
“This is a typical scenario in England,” Hayden said on All Over Bar The Cricket. “It’s almost a bit of a flex—final Test, home turf, and the curator wants to assert his authority. But while Gambhir was protecting his team’s preparation for such a crucial match, he could have toned down his words. His intent was right, but choice of language could have been better.”
Former Australian all-rounder Greg Blewett also joined the discussion, calling some curators’ behaviour “ridiculous.” He explained that even as a commentator, approaching the pitch can sometimes trigger overreactions from ground staff.
“I get the frustration,” Blewett said. “But the language Gambhir used wasn’t ideal. In hindsight, he might have handled it differently.”
Despite the incident, the Indian team stayed focused on the match, delivering a remarkable performance to clinch a narrow win at the Oval and level the series.