ENG vs IND 2025: Aakash Chopra slams Oval pitch curator for 'double standards' as old photo shows him standing on pitch
Gautam Gambhir and the Oval curator were involved in a heated argument on July 29 after the latter interrupted India's training session and asked them to stand away from the pitch and square.
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Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra called out The Oval's curator Lee Fortis for showing "hypocrisy", sharing a photo of him with Brendon McCullum from 2023. This was in response to the heated episode between India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Fortis ahead of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
Chopra questioned why Gambhir and the Indian team was warned and asked to stay away from the pitch while McCullum was permitted. "2023, Ashes contest. 48 hours before the match, the same Oval curator can be seen standing on the pitch with England coach Brendon McCullum. Different rules for different people?" stated Chopra in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
Chopra stated that Gambhir's agitation was justified and Fortis' denial was senseless when the Indian team members were wearing only wearing rubber spikes while being close to the pitch. For the unversed, Gambhir was irked after Fortis interrupted India's practice session.
"You stop it. You don't tell us what we need to do. You don't tell us what we need to do, okay. You don't need to tell us. You don't tell any of my squad what we need to do. You have no right to tell us. You're just a groundsman, you stay in your capacity. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond. You are just a groundsman," Gambhir was heard saying to Fortis in a video.
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2.2KComing to the ongoing series, India trail 2-1 with a match to go. Their sole victory, a 336-run triumph, came at Edgbaston as Shubman Gill starred with a match aggregate of 430 runs while Akash Deep performed ended up with a 10-wicket match haul (10/187).
India batting coach on Gambhir's altercation with groundsman
On the other hand, England clinched wins in the first and third Tests by five wickets and 22 runs, respectively. The recent game at Old Trafford was drawn courtesy of India's second innings heroics with the bat. India had three centurions in the innings as they dug in and secured a hard-fought draw to keep the series alive.
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