Hayden Suggests Gambhir Could Have Been More Careful in Oval Curator Exchange

Following a recent incident between Gautam Gambhir and The Oval curator Lee Fortis during India’s training session before the fifth Test against England, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has weighed in on the matter.

Hayden, speaking on a YouTube podcast, stated that Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir might have chosen different words when addressing Lee Fortis. He also shared his experiences dealing with protective pitch curators, showing understanding for Gambhir’s situation.

“I used to sit in the middle and meditate. Often, someone would come up and tell me to move. Curators can get pretty protective around the surface, especially in England.

“This was a bit of a flex , final Test match, their venue, and they try to make it difficult for Gautam Gambhir,” Hayden said.

While defending Gambhir’s prerogative to protect his team’s practice, Hayden admitted that the India coach’s communication could have been improved.

“He’s got every right, but he could have toned it down. The reality is, his team was preparing for the most important Test match,” Hayden concluded.

In late July, Gambhir had a heated discussion with Lee Fortis, the chief curator at The Oval. This event transpired during India’s optional practice session. The support staff had arrived before the players to assess the pitch. Gambhir and his assistant coaches joined them afterwards.

Fortis voiced his disapproval of the Indian team using too much of the central area for training. He was concerned about their proximity to the pitch.

Consequently, Fortis was talking with India’s assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak when Gambhir intervened. The groundsman was later overheard telling Gambhir not to swear and warning him that he would file a complaint with the match referee.

Fortis cautioned Gambhir again, who responded by repeatedly telling him that he was ‘just a groundsman’ while pointing a finger at him.

The argument started when the curator requested the Indian coaching staff to maintain a distance of at least 2.5 meters from the primary pitch area, even though they were wearing joggers or rubber-spiked shoes.