'I've never seen anything like it in my life.'
What began as a routine pitch inspection turned into a flashpoint ahead of the series-deciding fifth Test at The Oval, as a fiery exchange between Gautam Gambhir and Curator Lee Fortis reignited long-standing concerns over how visiting teams are treated in England.
The altercation unfolded during India's training session two days ahead of the Test, when Fortis allegedly asked the visiting support staff to remain at least 2.5 metres away from the pitch during their inspection.
Gambhir, never one to mince words, was incensed by the directive.
Eyewitnesses described the exchange as visibly tense, with Gambhir reportedly telling Fortis, 'You don't tell any of us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman -- nothing beyond.'
Fortis, a veteran curator awarded by the English and Wales Cricket Board for his work at The Oval, replied curtly, 'I will have to report this.'
The clash was witnessed by 10 Indian players present on the field. Most of the Indian contingent, including support staff, were wearing joggers rather than spikes -- standard practice during such pre-match assessments.
Batting Coach Sitanshu Kotak, who stepped in to de-escalate the situation, later offered clarity on what triggered the standoff.
'When we went to have a look at the wicket, someone came up and told us to stand 2.5 metres away. That was surprising, to say the least. We weren't wearing spikes. There are still two days to go before the match. I've never seen anything like it in my life,' Kotak said.
Hours after the Gambhir-Fortis face-off, an old photograph from the 2023 Ashes went viral -- showing Fortis standing on the very same pitch alongside England Coach Brendon McCullum under virtually identical conditions.
The caption of the image read, 'rendon McCullum takes his first inspection at the pitch 48hrs out with The Oval's head groundsman Lee Fortis.'
The image quickly became the flashpoint for allegations of double standards. Former India opener and prominent commentator Aakash Chopra fanned the flames by posting the image on social media, calling out the apparent hypocrisy.
'Why are you looking at this pitch, brother? You stay 2.5 metres away. This is what the groundsman said to Gambhir. And yet, here's the same curator on the pitch with McCullum two days before the Ashes Test. What's going on? Different rules for different people?' Chopra asked on X.
Despite the tension, Kotak confirmed that India would not lodge an official complaint.
The ECB has yet to comment on the matter while The Oval continues to take pride in Fortis' track record. Under his stewardship, the venue has won the ECB award for best multi-day pitch three years running.
With the final Test of a gripping series just hours away, the Gambhir-Fortis spat may have already cast an early shadow on the game.
