“Absolutely unnecessary” – Gill slams Oval pitch restriction

Gill Slams Oval Pitch Restriction

Shubman Gill criticized Oval curator Lee Fortis for asking India's support staff to observe the pitch from a distance two days out from the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Gill responded to questions about the flashpoint between Fortis and head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying "What happened yesterday, I thought was just absolutely unnecessary." He believed the coach had every right to inspect the wicket closely, and didn't understand why the curator wouldn't allow it.

Gill mentioned that there were no issues at the other four venues of the series, and that the team had never received instructions to stay away from the pitch. He emphasized that as long as they wore rubber spikes or were barefoot, they were allowed to inspect the wicket from close quarters.

When asked if the pressure of trailing 1-2 in the series contributed to Gambhir's aggressive reaction, Gill denied it. He reiterated that the team had been playing cricket for a long time and were used to inspecting the pitch without restrictions.

Despite the tensions, Gill said the relationship between the two teams was amicable, and he had no regrets about how he or his team reacted. He acknowledged that competitive moments can lead to heated exchanges, but mutual respect prevails once the match is over.