Watch: Gautam Gambhir engages in ugly fight with pitch curator after green top offered for Oval Test

A major controversy erupted at The Oval after a fiery exchange between Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the venue’s chief pitch curator ahead of the fifth and final match against England. Gambhir had a heated altercation with the curator over pitch-related matters at the venue.

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy currently stands at 2-1 in England's favor. The hosts won the series opener before India leveled the contest. England then claimed a narrow 22-run victory in the third Test at Lord's. They looked set to seal the series in Manchester, but Team India showed strong resistance.

Watch: Gautam Gambhir Involved in Heated Altercation with Pitch Curator

According to reports from cricket journalists present at the venue, Gautam Gambhir engaged in a heated exchange with a member of the groundstaff. The disagreement appeared to revolve around pitch preparation, with Gambhir shouting, “You don’t tell us what to do,” during the confrontation, reported TOI.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and other support staff had to step in and separate the two. The ground staff have threatened to file a formal complaint against Gambhir. However, the India coach shouted back, “You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can’t tell us what to do.”

While the exact reason for the dispute is unclear, the incident has drawn attention as India prepare for a crucial Test. No official comment has been made yet by the Indian team management or the ground authorities.

🚨 Gautam Gambhir involved in a heated exchange with Oval ground staff.

The Indian Head Coach was seen pointing fingers, visibly upset over something on the field.@ThumsUpOfficial @TrishaGhosal @debasissen #GautamGambhir #ENGvsIND #Oval #Cricket pic.twitter.com/0KKBNVV2Uw

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) July 29, 2025

They Want to Fight for the Common Man Back Home -Gautam Gambhir

After India secured a draw in the fourth Test, Gautam Gambhir hit back at critics who had questioned captain Shubman Gill's leadership. Gambhir emphasized that he doesn't want his players to follow anyone else's path but to build their own legacy.

"They want to fight for the common man back home. And the important thing is that the way a lot of people had written us off in this Test match, this is the foundation of this team," Gambhir told reporters.

"These are characters who are sitting in this dressing room, wanting to fight for the country and they will continue to do that," added the former cricketer.

India Keep Series Alive with Draw in Fourth Test at Manchester

India managed to keep the series alive with a draw in the fourth Test at Manchester. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul added a 188-run stand, followed by an unbeaten 203-run effort from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar that denied England a win.

With both Jadeja and Sundar closing in on personal milestones, they refused to shake hands with Ben Stokes. Harry Brook bowled some deliberately loose deliveries before the Indian pair completed their centuries.

India face a must-win scenario to level the series 2-2. Gautam Gambhir is under scrutiny, especially after disappointing campaigns against New Zealand and Australia. Criticism has also been directed at the team management for questionable selection decisions, including leaving out Kuldeep Yadav.

Also read: Ben Stokes threatened by England great as 'handshake controversy' turns ugly after Manchester draw