London, July 30: Captain Shubman Gill threw his weight behind Gautam Gambhir following his fiery exchange with The Oval's chief curator Lee Fortis, firmly asserting that the Indian coach is well within his rights to inspect the square. During India's training session on Tuesday, Fortis reportedly asked the Indian coaching staff to stay 2.5 metres away from the main pitch square, despite them wearing joggers or rubber spiked shoes, prompting frustration from the Indian camp. Gautam Gambhir Ignores Lee Fortis a Day After Engaging in Heated Argument With The Oval Pitch Curator Ahead of IND vs ENG 5th Test 2025 (Watch Video).

Shubman Gill Reacts to Gautam Gambhir’s Spat With The Oval Pitch Curator

Gambhir was heard saying, "You don't tell any of us what we need to do… you have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond.” When Gill was asked about the tiff on the eve of the final Test, the skipper replied, "What happened yesterday was unnecessary." IND vs ENG 2025: What Happened the Last Time Indian Cricket Team Played Against England at Kennington Oval in London?.

"Coach has every right to look at the wicket. Don't understand why curator won't allow that. As long you are wearing rubber spike or are barefoot (it should not be a problem) ....don't know why he said no. There was no such issue in the last four games," he added. Incidentally, on the day, leading English players like batting mainstay Joe Root and stand-in skipper Ollie Pope were found standing on the match pitch doing shadow batting.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)