Gautam Gambhir in Heated Exchange with Surrey Groundsman Ahead of Fifth England-India Test

India head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated altercation with Surrey's head groundsman, Lee Fortis, during an optional training session at The Oval on Tuesday, just two days ahead of the fifth and final Test between India and England.

Eyewitnesses reported Gambhir wagging his finger at Fortis and repeatedly stating, “You are just a groundsman,” after Fortis objected to Indian players and support staff occupying the main square. Fortis warned Gambhir he would report him to the ICC match referee if he continued to “swear” at him.

India, trailing 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, arrived in London after drawing the fourth Test in Manchester. The tension arose during a training session when several members of the Indian support staff, followed by players and coaches, walked onto the main square.

Sources told ESPNcricinfo that Fortis was upset by how closely the Indian contingent approached the pitches, citing the need to preserve the square for upcoming fixtures at The Oval, which are scheduled through early September.

Assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak initially interacted with Fortis before Gambhir intervened. During the exchange, Fortis cautioned against swearing, to which Gambhir responded angrily, asserting the groundsman had "no right" to instruct the Indian team. He was heard saying:
“You don’t tell us what we need to do… You’re just a groundsman, nothing beyond.”

Kotak, later speaking to the media, expressed surprise over being asked to maintain a 2.5-metre distance from the pitch despite not wearing spiked footwear.
“We felt a little awkward. We were standing there in joggers. It’s a cricket pitch, not an antique,” he said.

Kotak emphasized the coaching staff's professionalism, noting they took great care not to damage the ground.
“You won't even see any spike marks in the outfield. That comes from the head coach. We are very careful.”

He also hinted that the tone of communication may have escalated tensions:
“When you're working with very intelligent, highly-skilled people, if you sound a bit arrogant… you can be protective, but at the end of the day it’s just a cricket pitch.”

Fortis, when approached by reporters, declined to comment in detail about the confrontation.

The Oval pitch has been under careful maintenance ahead of the final Test, with Fortis particularly concerned about overuse of the main square given the volume of cricket still to come this summer. However, India's support staff argued that their training areas were limited and that staying entirely off the square was impractical.

The fifth Test of the high-stakes series begins on July 31, with England leading 2-1.