LONDON, July 29 — Just two days before the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated altercation with the ground staff.
The confrontation reportedly erupted on Tuesday afternoon after Gambhir raised objections over the training facilities provided to the visiting team. India had arrived in London on Monday and was scheduled to begin its first practice session ahead of the fifth and final Test on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses said the dispute escalated quickly, with Gambhir seen pointing fingers and angrily shouting at members of the ground staff. “You can’t tell us what to do!” the coach yelled repeatedly, according to those present. The tension mounted to such an extent that batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and other members of the Indian support staff had to intervene and separate the two parties.
In response, the Oval ground staff have reportedly threatened to file an official complaint against Gambhir. But the former opener appeared unfazed, allegedly responding, “You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can’t tell us what to do.”
The incident comes at a critical juncture for Team India, who are riding high after salvaging a spirited draw in the fourth Test at Manchester. Their resilient performance—marked by a gritty 203-run unbeaten stand between Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja—denied England a near-certain victory and set the tone for an intense series finale.
Head coach Gambhir used the moment to rally behind his players, especially captain Shubman Gill, whose leadership has been under scrutiny. “They want to fight for the common man back home,” Gambhir said during a media interaction. “This is the foundation of this team—characters who want to fight for the country and will continue to do so.”
Gill, leading India in a Test series for the first time, has silenced critics with an outstanding run, scoring four centuries so far. Gambhir was quick to dismiss any doubts over the young skipper’s capability. “There was never any doubt about Shubman Gill’s talent. If someone had doubts, they probably don’t understand cricket,” he said.
“Even if he hadn’t performed the way he did, we would still have had complete faith in his ability. What matters is that he’s living up to his expectations and potential. More importantly, the so-called pressure of captaincy doesn’t seem to affect him—he bats like a batsman, not like a captain burdened by expectations.”
India will look to carry their momentum into the final Test, with the series delicately poised. While tensions at The Oval have flared off the field, Gambhir’s unflinching support for his team signals a high-stakes finish as India chase a historic series victory on English soil.
