Shubman Gill enters Gautam Gambhir's fight with Oval Curator
Published - 31 Jul 2025, 10:46 AM | Updated - 31 Jul 2025, 11:37 PM

Team India captain Shubman Gill has opened up about the incident involving head coach Gautam Gambhir and The Oval’s pitch curator, Lee Fortis. Gill also expressed confusion over the curator’s decision to stop Indian players from inspecting the pitch up close during their training session.
On Tuesday, the curator instructed India’s coaching staff to stay 2.5 meters away from the main pitch during their training session. The Indian support staff were disappointed, which led to a heated exchange between Fortis and Gautam Gambhir, who said, "Don’t tell us what to do."
Shubman Gill Breaks Silence on Gautam Gambhir’s Spat with Oval Curator
At a press conference on the eve of the Oval Test, Shubman Gill stated that he had never come across a rule requiring players or coaches to stay 2.5 metres away from the main pitch. He called the curator’s reaction toward Gautam Gambhir unnecessary.
"As long as I can remember, there has been no such instruction (of staying 2.5 metres away). As long as you're wearing rubber spikes or are barefoot, you can get a close look at the pitch," Shubman Gill said in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
"I don't know what happened yesterday. Why did the curator stop us? We have played four matches here, and no curator has given us such instructions. And we have watched and played enough cricket. We have inspected the pitch multiple times, I don't know what the fuss is all about," he added.
That Is Not Something That Has Happened to Us Before - Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill stated that there was no such pressure on Gautam Gambhir and added that it was unusual for a curator to ask players to view the pitch from three metres away.
"Not really. If a pitch curator comes and asks us to look at the wicket from 3 meters away, that is not something that has happened to us before," Gill added.
Meanwhile, England captain Ben Stokes, who has been ruled out of the final Test due to a shoulder injury, refrained from commenting on the matter. Stokes stated that he wasn’t present at the time and didn’t know what had actually happened.
"Obviously, it's hard not to see that stuff, but I wasn't here. I don't know what's happened," Stokes said.
You Can’t Tell Us What to Do - Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange with Lee Fortis. In the footage, Gambhir was seen saying, “You can’t tell us what to do” and “You don’t tell any of us what to do.” He further added, “You’re just the groundsman, nothing beyond,” a remark that quickly drew widespread criticism.
Fortis responded by saying he might escalate the issue through an official complaint. However, Gambhir remained defiant, replying, “You can go and report to whoever you want.”
The incident has only added to the growing tension in what has already been a heated five-match series. England currently lead 2-1, with the decisive final Test set to begin on Thursday at The Oval.
Also read: Asia Cup 2025- Jasprit Bumrah on the verge of elimination after serious injury in England
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Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla... Read more