India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, has spoken up about the recent clash between head coach Gautam Gambhir and the pitch curator at The Oval, a controversy that has quickly gone viral online.
Heated Argument Caught on Camera:
A video from the Indian team’s net session at The Oval showed a tense moment where Gambhir was seen in a heated argument with the pitch curator. Things got so intense that Sitanshu Kotak had to step in and separate the two.
In the video, the curator can be seen warning Gambhir not to complain about him. The Indian coach responded bluntly, saying, “Go and report to whoever you want,” clearly showing he wasn’t backing down.
The incident quickly spread across social media, with fans and followers puzzled about what triggered such a reaction from Gambhir.
Batting Coach Explains What Happened
To clear the air and make India’s stance known, Kotak addressed the situation at a press conference.
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“Curator yelled at support staff when they were getting icebox. Gambhir objected at that. The way he spoke irked Gambhir. Everyone knows curator at The Oval is not the easiest person to deal with. India will not lodge any official complaint,” Kotak said, as quoted by The Times of India.
Gautam Gambhir was asked to stay away from the Pitch
Kotak also shared more details about the incident, revealing that they were unexpectedly told to stay 2.5 meters away from the pitch, even though they weren’t wearing anything that would damage it.
“When we were having a conversation near the pitch. They had sent a man to send a message for us to stay 2.5 m away from the pitch. We were wearing joggers,” he said.
He added, “We know curators are possessive about the square. What he said about the head coach is his opinion, and I don’t want to comment. We did nothing wrong; we were wearing rubber spikes.”
Decisive Test Awaits at The Oval
India will now play the fifth and final Test of the series at The Oval, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. India trails 1-2 in the series and must win this match to level the score and share the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy with England.
For England, the situation is less intense but still important. With wins at Headingley and Lord’s already in the bag, they only need a draw or a win in the final match to seal the series. However, given their aggressive “Bazball” style and their current World Test Championship ambitions, they’ll be aiming for a win.
Gautam Gambhir’s team heads into this Test under pressure, especially after the fourth match in Manchester ended in a draw. All eyes will be on The Oval as the series reaches its climax.
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