India’s legendary cricketer and former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has hit out at those who criticised head coach Gautam Gambhir for the heated exchange with The Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis, provoked by the latter. Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden had said that Gambhir’s “choice of words” could’ve been better even if he had an unpleasant exchange with Fortis, who is known for being difficult with the touring teams.
What Gambhir said and how Hayden reacted to the incident?
"You're just the groundsman, nothing beyond. You can go and report to whoever you want,” Gambhir said as Fortis reportedly misbehaved with the India coaching staff.
Reacting to the incident, Hayden said that Gambhir could’ve toned it down.
“This is a typical case in England. It is a bit of a flex, here we are, final Test match, this is my venue, and they are going to try and make it difficult on Gautam Gambhir. But I think he’s got every right to tone it down. He could have used better language. But the reality is, his team is trying to train ahead of the most important Test match,” Hayden said on ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’.
Vengsarkar’s question to Hayden
Vengsarkar feels Gambhir had the right to defend himself. He pointed out Hayden’s double standards, saying that during the Ashes, the outrage would have been similar.
"As the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir had every right to see the pitch from close quarters. When teams tour India, their entire team-and not just the coach and captain, examine the pitch minutely. Even their media inspects the pitch before the match. No one tells them anything. So, how are the rules different when we are playing in England?
“Would Hayden, or any of the Aussie cricketers, take it well if a curator had asked them to stay away from the square ahead of an important match. If this had happened to the Aussies, they would have used the choices of words to show the curator his place," Vengsarkar told TOI.
Vengsarkar’s high praise for English pitches
Meanwhile, Vengsarkar lauded England cricket for preparing sporting pitches. He praised the fans for turning out in huge numbers as he believes that the series will be remembered for ages. Also, it has played a huge role in keeping Test cricket relevant.
"I must appreciate the culture of Test cricket in England. There were huge crowds for all the Tests, and the sporting wickets ensured that the result of all the five Tests was decided on the fifth and final day. This series, which will be remembered for ages, has revived the interest for Test cricket in cricket lovers. It has increased Test cricket’s importance. This shows that if you dish out good pitches, Test cricket can not just survive, but flourish too,” the 69-year-old said.
All five Tests went to Day 5. The series was drawn as Mohammed Siraj’s spell staged a thrilling finale, taking a fifer to help India win The Oval Test by six runs and level series 2-2.