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30 Jul 2025, 19:16

Shubman Gill responds to the groundsman of the Oval after the conflict

  • Shubman Gill called the groundsman's remarks unnecessary
  • Ben Stokes withdrew from the fifth test due to injury
  • India could equal the score in the series 2-2

India's captain Shubman Gill responded to the main groundsman of the Oval, Lee Fortis, after the conflict on the field during the training ahead of the fifth test against England. Fortis expressed regret regarding the use of the pitch during training, which led to a dispute between him and the main trainer of India, Gautam Gambhir.

Gambhir, surrounded by Fortis's words, stated: "You cannot tell us what to do." This incident occurred against the backdrop of a series that has already seen several controversial moments in previous matches.

Gill believes that Fortis's remarks were "absolutely unnecessary." He noted that the team has been in England for more than two months, and the trainer has the right to familiarize himself with the pitch better.

In the previous test, England led the series 2-1, but without captain Ben Stokes, who withdrew due to injury. Stokes confirmed that he would not participate in the match, citing the risk of further injury being too high.

At this time, India plans to make changes to the squad, including a possible debut for left-arm spinner Arshdeep Singh, as the team aims to equal the series 2-2.

Tags: Sport

Articles on this topic:

  • www.skysports.com - England vs India: Ben Stokes to miss fifth Test due to shoulder injury with Jofra Archer also missing
  • www.aljazeera.com - England vs India: Fifth Test – teams, start, Gambhir, groundsman
  • www.independent.co.uk - India captain Shubman Gill hits back at Oval groundsman over pitch confrontation
  • www.independent.co.uk - Shubman Gill says pitch exchange with groundsman was ‘absolutely unnecessary’
  • www.bbc.com - 'Stokes pushes the limit and gives England a peak into their nightmare'