From Newsgroup: uk.sport.cricket


Oval groundsman refused to let Indian Coach Gambhir INSPECT the Pitch.

Pitch inspections are completely NORMAL in tests.

England cricket administration people are going crazy.


You are just a groundsman, stay in your capacity - said Gambhir to Oval groundsman.





https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/shubman-gill-says-gambhir-has-every-right-to-look-at-the-pitch-ahead-of-england-india-finale-1497344

Tempers flared when India head coach Gautam Gambhir got into an argument
with Fortis, who was concerned by the heavy footfall as well as the
presence of training gear on the main square, and reportedly told the
Indians that they should view the pitch standing 2.5 metres away from
the strip.

Gambhir was seen wagging his finger at Fortis and telling him that he
was "just a groundsman".

"What happened yesterday, I thought was just absolutely unnecessary,"
Gill, who was not at the venue during the incident, said on the eve of
the fifth Test at The Oval. "It's not the first time that we were having
a look at the wicket, we have been there for almost two months. A coach
has every right to be able to go close quarters and have a look at the
wicket and I didn't think there was anything wrong with that. I actually
don't know why the curator would not allow us to go have a look at the wicket."

Gill said no curator at the four previous venues in the series -
Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord's and Old Trafford - had imposed
restrictions on viewing the pitch or the square.

"As long as I remember, we had never got any instructions. As long as
you are wearing rubber spikes or [are] barefoot, you can see the wicket
from near," he said. "We have played four matches already in this
series, and nobody stopped us from watching the pitch.

"All of us have played so much cricket, we have gone to the pitches so
many times, including the coaches and captain, I don't know what the
fuss was about."


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