Gautam Gambhir caught in ugly argument with groundsman at The Oval ahead of final England vs India Test

India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has been involved in a confrontation with ground staff at The Oval during a training session before the fifth and final Test against England.

Video footage from the net session shows Gambhir pointing his finger at Lee Fortis, Surrey's head of ground staff, and the India coach can be heard shouting "you can't tell us what to do" and "you're just the groundsman, nothing beyond".

Reports from the ground suggested Fortis was concerned about the use of an ice box near the pitch.

Speaking in a news conference afterwards, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak — who was present during the incident — said the coaches were inspecting the wicket for the Test, and were asked to move away.

"When we were standing on the wicket looking at it, one of the ground staff came and said to stand two and [a] half metres away from here. In my cricketing career, I have never seen anybody saying that," Kotak said.

"Literally, he was saying that 'you can go outside the rope', to the head coach, and see the wicket. I don't know how you can see.

"If someone was brushing their shoes, or somebody is trying to put something on the wicket, or somebody wearing spikes — if the curator feels that, then fine — but it was a very strange way of saying it.

"Curators are a little over-protective or possessive about the square and the ground. [They] need to understand that the people they are talking to are highly skilled and intelligent people."

With no specific outdoor practice area, India used three practice wickets surrounded by nets close to the Test match pitch, which is standard procedure.

Fortis later downplayed the incident, telling Indian media, "There's nothing to speak about. There's nothing to hide here".

"You saw what he was like this morning. He's a bit touchy."

A photo of Fortis standing on a pitch with England coach Brendon McCullum later emerged, however that photo was taken in 2023.

The incident is the latest in a heated and competitive series between the two sides, with the fourth Test at Old Trafford ending with India refusing to shake hands for the draw early as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar reached centuries.

India skipper Shubman Gill also said England were acting "against the spirit of cricket" with time-wasting tactics during the third Test at Lord's.

England lead the five-match series 2-1, and Ben Stokes's side is expected to make changes to the team from Manchester's draw, particularly to the bowling line-up after just three days in between Tests.

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