“Gautam Gambhir had every right to see the pitch”- Dilip Vengsarkar slams Matthew Hayden for his words on pitch curator drama

Matthew Hayden's remarks about the pitch curator controversy during the just finished fifth Test match against England at The Oval prompted a response from former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar. 

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Just ahead of the Oval Test, India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Oval pitch curator were seen exchanging some heated words. This was because the Indian support staff went close to the pitch that was to be used for the Test match. 

The Indian head coach 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 his finger at the chief curator during the heated exchange.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak then stepped in, guiding Fortis aside for a brief conversation to diffuse the situation.

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When conveying his disappointment to the groundsman in question, head coach Gautam Gambhir could have used more appropriate words, according to the former Australian opener.

“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.

The Indian squad put on an outstanding display to defeat England by 6 runs on the last day and tie the series 2-2, largely ignoring the controversy and concentrating on the game.

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“Hayden and other Australian cricketers would’ve used choicest words”- Vengsarkar slams Hayden for his words

Dilip Vengsarkar exposed the hypocrisy of the Australians, claiming that if they had been treated that way, they would have destroyed the curator.

"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 squad, not just the captain and coach, examines 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 choicest words to show the curator his place," Vengsarkar said to Mumbai Mirror.

Before the match, captain Shubman Gill and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak of Team India had criticized the curator's antics. However, Fortis asserted that he was presented as a villain. 

Pitch ratings for the first four pitches used in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy were made public by the ICC. The officials only gave the pitches at Edgbaston, Lord's, and Old Trafford a "Satisfactory" rating, while Headingley was given a "Very Good" rating.

Everyone is looking forward to The Oval's verdict.

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