India skipper Shubman Gill was not happy with the incident that unfolded during Tuesday’s practice session at The Oval, where the touring side was refused a close look at the pitch by Surrey head groundsman Lee Fortis. The restriction was “absolutely unnecessary,” according to Gill, adding that it was the first such occurrence on the tour.

The tensions reached boiling point when the head coach Gautam Gambhir had a conflict with Fortis, who is said to have expressed worries about too much foot traffic and training kit being positioned too near to the center square. Eyewitnesses told that Fortis ordered the Indian camp to be at least 2.5 metres away from the pitch. Gambhir, obviously upset, was overheard confronting Fortis and is said to have reminded him that he was “just a groundsman.”

No Such Restriction at Other Grounds, Reveals Gill

Gill explained that at the other four grounds on tour: Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, and Old Trafford, the team had never been restricted from looking at the pitch closely. The enforcement of this restriction at The Oval, particularly before a do-or-die Test for India, raised many eyebrows.

“What happened yesterday, I thought was just absolutely unnecessary,” Gill said

“It’s not the first time that we were having a look at the wicket, we have been there for almost two months. A coach has every right to be able to go close quarters and have a look at the wicket and I didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. I actually don’t know why the curator would not allow us to go have a look at the wicket.”

“As long as I remember, we had never got any instructions. As long as you are wearing rubber spikes or [are] barefoot, you can see the wicket from near,” he said. “We have played four matches already in this series, and nobody stopped us from watching the pitch.

“All of us have played so much cricket, we have gone to the pitches so many times, including the coaches and captain, I don’t know what the fuss was about.”

When asked if perhaps the extreme stakes of the series decider played a part in the heated altercation, Gill rejected the suggestion. He insisted that the situation was dealt with properly by the team and again ensured that the rapport between the two sides was still respectful despite some tense moments since the third Test.

Gill Delivers Strong Statement

Speaking to the media, Gill asserted that neither he nor his teammates regretted their actions in the encounter. He emphasized that the team’s behavior had always been professional and that the dispute arose solely over what they perceived as an unwarranted limitation on standard practice procedure.

“Not really,” Gill said. “If a pitch curator is going to come and ask us to not look at the wicket and look at the wicket from three metres behind, that’s not something that has happened to us before. We’ve been [playing] cricket for such a long time […] That’s the job of the coach and the captain.”

“The relation is fantastic, but when you are on the field, you are trying to win a game at the end of the day, and both the teams have been very competitive and sometimes when you are competitive in the heat of the moment, you do or say things that you might not do [otherwise],” he said. “But once the match is over, there is mutual respect between both teams.”

India trail 2-1 going into the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and are looking to secure a series-leveling win at The Oval. The row over the pitch has provided an added layer of interest to an already high-riding confrontation.