Indian captain Shubman Gill has finally addressed the buzz surrounding the Oval pitch drama, and let’s just say, his take might leave a few people scratching their heads.
What Really Happened?
For those catching up, here’s what went down. Ahead of the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and pitch curator Lee Fortis found themselves in a rather unexpected standoff.
Fortis apparently wasn’t too thrilled about the Indian support staff getting a little too close to the main pitch. So, he asked them to stay at least 2.5 metres away. The incident, caught on camera, quickly went viral.
Things escalated fast, faster than anyone expected for a pre-match pitch inspection. While the video did the rounds online, the Indian camp didn’t say much initially.
It was only later that batting coach Sitanshu Kotak offered some perspective. According to Kotak, the curator just seemed “highly protective” of the surface. He made it clear that India hadn’t broken any protocols and that their coaching staff knew what they were doing.
Shubman Gill Keeps It Cool
Enter Shubman Gill. Calm, composed and a bit bemused by the whole situation, the young captain didn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts.
“I don’t know exactly what happened yesterday or why the curator reacted the way he did,” Gill said in a press conference. “We’ve played four Tests in this series, and no one stopped us from inspecting the pitch.”
“Everyone in the team, be it the captain or the coaches, has seen pitches numerous times in the past. I honestly don’t understand what the fuss was all about.”
He made a strong point that captains and coaches have been looking at pitches up close for decades. Rubber spikes or barefoot, it’s part of the job.
“If a curator asks us not to look at the wicket or to look at it from three metres behind, that’s not something we have experienced before,” Gill continued.
“We’ve been playing cricket for a long time, and as long as you are in rubber spikes or barefoot, you are allowed to look at the wicket from close quarters.”
“So, I don’t know why the curator didn’t let us or allow us to do that.”
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