Overview

• The confrontation unfolded during a practice session ahead of the fifth Test at Kennington Oval when curator Lee Fortis instructed the Indian staff to maintain a 2.5-metre distance from the main square.
• Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak intervened to separate the two and defuse the heated exchange between Gambhir and Fortis.
• On All Over Bar The Cricket, Matthew Hayden described Fortis’s enforcement as a typical English venue flex and affirmed Gambhir’s right to challenge it while noting he could have used milder language.
• Former all-rounder Greg Blewett agreed that the curator overstepped and said Gambhir’s frustration was understandable but advised he might have handled the situation with more tact.
• No formal sanctions have been reported and attention has shifted back to on-field performance after India’s six-run victory leveled the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at 2-2.