Aakash Chopra fat-shames Oval pitch curator ahead of Day 5 of IND vs ENG Test
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Indian former cricketer turned analyst Aakash Chopra fat-shamed Oval Pitch curator Lee Fortis as he ran the roller on The Oval pitch before Day 5's play resumes at the iconic venue.
The tension continues to build around the India vs England series on the final day of the 5th Test at The Oval. The match that is currently being played will act as a decider for the series, as India's loss in the game would imply England winning the series by a comfortable margin of 3-1.
However, India has made hard efforts to retain their chances in the series up to the final day of the last Test. Gautam Gambhir was also seen engaging in a fiery exchange of words with the pitch curator at the Oval, who seemed to have troubled Gambhir in some ways, as was claimed by the BCCI reports.
Aakash Chopra fat-shames Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis
Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has often been seen regularly making remarks over the game, especially on matches related to Indian cricket, through his YouTube channel and on television shows as well.
Recently, Aakash Chopra made a post on Twitter, a photo of his television screen that showed Pitch Curator Lee Fortis riding the heavy roller onto the Oval pitch. To this post, he wrote, "Heavy Roller. बहुत भारी," which implies shaming the big fellow for his weight alongside highlighting the fact that England is using a heavy roller before Day 5's play.
Heavy Roller. बहुत भारी। #EngvInd pic.twitter.com/n1CE3JkDpm
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 4, 2025
The usage of a heavy roller clearly implies that the surface is expected to be more even and compact, which would facilitate batting as it reduces any seam movement or uneven bounce on the track. However, England or the Oval curators' tactics didn't seem to have worked much, as India levelled the series with an iconic win.
Mohammed Siraj's magic on Day 5 at The Oval
India might have been on the back foot in the Final Test at The Oval due to Mohammed Siraj, who dropped English batter Harry Brook on 21, as the batter next went on to add 90 more runs to the English innings and contributed 195 runs alongside Joe Root for the fourth wicket.
India came with just 35 runs needed on the final day, as Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton came in to bat. Mohammed Siraj bowled a stunning spell to dismiss the English batters and picked 3 of the four remaining wickets in the morning session of Day 5 of the 5th Test.
Siraj's final wicket came in the form of Gus Atkinson, as he bowled the last English batter with a stunning yorker at the base of the off-stump. This marked the winning moment for India in the series. As Siraj said, 'He believed,' which serves as an inspiration for players of the next generation that if you believe, you can succeed.
India level Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with iconic win at The Oval
India, which had lost in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after the Lord's Test ended in England's favour as the Indian batters fell short of chasing a modest 192 at the iconic Stadium. However, not losing hope, India kept their chances alive over the remaining two games.
India batted stunningly at Manchester, as they drew a Test that looked totally in favour of the Englishmen, while they arrived at the Oval with the hope of levelling the series. India has done it with an iconic show, which included Mohammed Siraj's 9 wickets, Jaiswal's comeback hundred, and an overall effort from the Indian team that set the tone for the magnificent win.
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India National Cricket Team England National Cricket Team India vs England England vs India Lee Fortis Aakash Chopra
