Shitanshu Kotak comments on Gautam Gambhir's curator controversy ahead of ENG vs IND 5th Test at Kennington Oval

subhradeep-choudhury — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:24:02 GMT

Shitanshu Kotak comments on Gautam Gambhir's curator controversy.

There was so much focus on the first press conference of the Indian team during their optional practice session ahead of the fifth Test of the five-match series at the Kennington Oval in South London. The series is already spiced up after the Lord’s altercation and the Manchester handshake saga. Now, it has got a new chapter of altercation between the coach and the curator.

India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and later the batting coach of the side, Shitanshu Kotak, were engaged in a heated altercation with the Surrey curator, Lee Fortis, as the former was heard to be telling Fortis not to tell him what to do. It was not known what happened until Kotak met the media.

‘When we were having a conversation near the pitch. They had sent a man to send a message for us to stay 2.5 m away from the pitch. We were wearing joggers. We know curators are possessive about the square. What he said about the head coach is his opinion, and I don’t want to comment. We did nothing wrong; we were wearing rubber spikes.’ Kotak expressed in the press conference.

Shitanshu Kotak comments on Gautam Gambhir's curator controversy ahead of ENG vs IND 5th Test

Most of the players from the last game’s playing eleven decided to take an extra off-day, as Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Anshul Kamboj turned up for the optional session. Sai Sudharsan was the first to hit the nets as he kept batting practice.

People are highly skilled and intelligent. None of the bowlers was even wearing spikes. You can be protective but not arrogant. It is not an antique that you can’t touch. He said we are trying to grow the grass. At the end of the day, it’s a cricket pitch. We will not be lodging any complaints.’ Kotak shed light.

Due to India’s incredible performance with the bat, they were able to draw the game in Manchester and will now have a chance to walk off the trip with a 2-2 margin, something which looked like a daydream after losing the opening Headingley Test.