Gill Backs Gambhir: “Coach Has Every Right to Inspect the Wicket” Amid Oval Pitch Row

Ahead of the fifth Test at The Oval, India skipper Shubman Gill has firmly defended head coach Gautam Gambhir following a heated confrontation between Gambhir and Oval chief groundsman Lee Fortis.

During a pre-match training session, Fortis blocked Gambhir from approaching the main pitch square, prompting Gambhir to retort: "You don’t tell any of us what we need to do… you have no right to tell us." The incident escalated when Gambhir reportedly added: "You are just a groundsman." Head coach Sitanshu Kotak intervened and later criticised Fortis for being unnecessarily obstructive.

Gill’s Defence of Gambhir

• Gill expressed bafflement and labeled the episode “absolutely unnecessary”, asserting it's standard for captains and coaches to inspect the wicket in person.
   
• He noted that wearing rubber spikes or barefoot, as was the case with the Indian contingent, is universally accepted and had never previously been restricted in England.
   
• Highlighting perceived double standards, Gill pointed out that England players—including Joe Root and Ollie Pope—were seen shadow-batting on the central pitch that same day without objection.
   

Broader Reactions & Significance

This confrontation is the latest off-field flashpoint in a fiercely competitive Test series. It follows high-profile disputes earlier in the tour—such as the handshake controversy in Manchester and time-wasting allegations at Lord’s.

Gill stated: “These are three very separate moments, not correlated at all… when you are competitive, in the heat of the moment you do or say things that you might not otherwise do—but there is mutual respect once the match is over.”

Gill’s comments shift focus back to cricketing principles and fairness. As the decisive Test looms, the atmosphere remains as tension-soaked off the field as it has been on it.