"I was never the villain" - Oval Curator reignites fight with Gautam Gambhir after India's stunning win

Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis reignited the controversy surrounding his spat with Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir during the fifth Test between India and England. The pitch curator defended his actions against Gambhir, stating he was unfairly portrayed as the villain for protecting the main pitch area.

A heated on-field disagreement between Gambhir and Fortis at the Oval became a viral moment just days before the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The Shubman Gill-led team defeated England, captained by Ollie Pope, by a narrow six-run margin on the final day to level the series 2-2.

Gautam Gambhir Involved in Heated Exchange with Lee Fortis Ahead of Final Test

Two days before the final Test, Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with pitch curator Lee Fortis. The confrontation arose after Fortis expressed concern about Indian players and staff getting too close to the pitch during an optional practice session.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Fortis initially addressed the issue with assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, prompting Gambhir to intervene. The India head coach dismissed Fortis as “just a groundsman” and added that he had no authority to instruct the team.

“You stop it. You don't tell us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You're just a groundsman—stay in your capacity. Nothing beyond. You are just a groundsman,” Gambhir snapped.

Also Read: Shubman Gill gets tough fight from 1 England, 1 South African player for prestigious ICC award

I Was Never the Villain - Lee Fortis on Confrontation with Gautam Gambhir

A week after his confrontation with Gautam Gambhir, Lee Fortis said he was portrayed as a villain by Indian players and fans. However, he compared the dramatic five-day match to an IPL-like atmosphere at The Oval. Fortis expressed hope that everyone enjoyed the game.

“Well, I was never the villain; I was made into one. Hope you guys enjoyed the show, and the atmosphere was like the IPL. It was a great game,” Fortis, the ECB curator of the year for the last three years in a row, said on a lighter note after a busy week at his Oval office.

After India secured their victory over England, Lee Fortis shifted his focus to preparations for The Hundred. He wasted no time in readying the ground for the upcoming matches.

I Didn’t Score as Many - Harry Brook Questions Gautam Gambhir

England batter Harry Brook disagreed with Gautam Gambhir’s choice for Player of the Series. Brook stated that Joe Root deserved the honor ahead of him and added that the veteran batter had once again proven his consistency.

“I didn't score as many runs as Rooty (Joe Root), so I probably think he should be Man of the Series or Man of the Summer. He has been for many years,” the 26-year-old said (via Hindustan Times).

Joe Root was the leading run-getter for England in the recent series, scoring 537 runs in nine innings at an average of 67.12, including three centuries. Harry Brook also made an impact with 481 runs at an average of 53.44, with two centuries and two fifties.

England head coach Brendon McCullum named India captain Shubman Gill as his Player of the Series. Gill finished as the tournament’s top scorer, amassing 754 runs in 10 innings, including a double century and three other hundreds.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli face BCCI action, stopped from playing again for..