Gautam Gambhir (Image credit: IANS)

NEW DELHI: Former Australian batter Matthew Hayden has offered his verdict on India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s fiery altercation with Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis ahead of the series-deciding fifth Test against England during Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The flashpoint occurred during India’s training session, when Gambhir was heard telling Fortis, “You don’t tell any of us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us, you’re just a groundsman, nothing more,” while pointing a finger at the chief curator. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak quickly stepped in, pulling Fortis aside to cool tempers.Speaking on All Over Bar The Cricket after India’s 2-2 series draw, Hayden said the incident reflected a common dynamic in England. “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 remarked.

Former Australian all-rounder Greg Blewett backed Hayden’s assessment, recalling his own frustrations with pitch restrictions. “I agree. Even now, even as a commentator, you get near the pitch and everyone is saying you can’t get anywhere near it and you’re like I haven’t got spikes on. It is quite ridiculous. I get the frustration. But I agree that the language that he used wasn’t great. If he reflects, he could have probably handled it a little better,” Blewett said.Despite the controversy, India shifted focus back to cricket, pulling off a thrilling 6-run victory at the Oval to level the series — leaving the verbal clash as just another subplot in an epic series in England.