India head coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in an extraordinary bust-up with Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis ahead of the start of the Oval Test between England and India.
Relations between the sides have become increasingly strained over the course of an absorbing series which the hosts lead 2-1 heading into the final match of the best of five contest.
England’s nerve-shredding win at Lord’s was almost overshadowed by a time-wasting row, while the Old Trafford Test, which finished in a draw last Sunday, culminated in a handshake row involving Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja.
With just three days between games there has barely been a chance for cooler heads to prevail, and another highly charged game was already expected before an extraordinary incident on Tuesday morning.
During a net session, Gambhir was heard telling Fortis ‘You can’t tell us what to do!’ while wagging his finger aggressively in the direction of Surrey’s perplexed head of ground staff.
The pair were separated by India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, after which Fortis threatened to launch a complaint against Gambhir.
Gambhir reportedly shouted back, ‘You can go and report to whoever you want, but you can’t tell us what to do.’
Fortis was later quizzed by a number of journalists from India who were desperate to learn what Gambhir had taken such offence to, amid the suggestion he was unhappy with the facilities that had been provided.
‘There’s quite a big game coming up,’ a puzzled Fortis said when asked why he thought Gambhir was so insensed.
‘It’s not my job to be happy,’ he added when asked if he had a problem with Gambhir’s attitude. ‘I’ve never met him before, he must’ve played here.
‘You saw what he was like this morning. I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him. There’s no side to the story.
‘I’m OK, we’ve nothing to hide here. It does look a bit like (you’re ganging up on me). If you turn the cameras round and show what this is. I don’t want to be rude.’
England, meanwhile, will be putting fast bowler Jofra Archer at risk of a fresh injury if they select him, according to former test players Stuart Broad and Nasser Hussain.
Archer is taking part in his first test series in four years after overcoming elbow and back injuries.
The 30-year-old sat out the first two matches before claiming five wickets in his return to the format at Lord’s and four in the drawn Manchester test.
While India could draw the series with a win at the Oval, Broad told Sky Sports that England should prioritize Archer’s long-term fitness.
‘We can’t not have Archer for four years, bring him back and then bowl him into the ground and not see him for another four years,’ he said.
‘(Josh) Tongue started the series, and I know he mainly got lower-order players out, but you probably have a natural replacement for Archer.’
England have added fast bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton to their tiring pace battery.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse have played all four tests, while skipper Ben Stokes said he would ‘run through a brick wall’ to try to be available for the final test beginning on Thursday.
Gus Atkinson and Tongue are likely to feature in the decisive final test, and England are likely to rest Archer with the Ashes series against Australia in four months’ time.
‘I don’t think you can have Archer playing three on the bounce coming back after four years,’ former England captain Hussain told Sky Sports.
‘Gus Atkinson coming back after a long time, and then Stokes with a niggle as three of your four seamers – but I would definitely play Atkinson on his home ground if fit.’