An unanticipated incident occurred during India's first practice session before the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy: a furious altercation between head coach Gautam Gambhir and Lee Fortis, the head groundskeeper at The Oval.

A dispute over the team's use of the practice square seems to be the root of the altercation that broke out during India's training session. When Fortis objected to the equipment being brought onto the square, Gambhir was seen to be noticeably upset, raising his voice and shaking his finger.

Gambhir was seen wagging his finger at Fortis and repeatedly telling him he was "just a groundsman." Fortis warned the former India batter he would report him to the ICC match referee if he continued to "swear" at him.

The team's version of events was later provided by assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak. He claims that the tension began early in the morning when India's support workers, who always assess the ground before a game, went to check it.

"When some of us coaches went to see the wicket, a member of the ground staff [asked us to] stay away at least 2.5 meters, which was a little surprising. Because it is the pitch, the match is starting the day after, it will be a five-day test, and we're standing in our joggers, so we felt a little awkward," Kotak said during the press conference.

"[If] somebody is trying to put something in the wicket or somebody is wearing spikes, the curator feels that it is fine. But it was a very strange way of saying, You go and stand two and a half meters away from here. So, I think that is what started it. Because Gautam is someone who does not even speak unnecessary things. He does not talk to anyone.

Last four games we played, everywhere, wherever we go, all the curators, when they talk, they even tell you when they are going to cut the grass, whether they are going to cut the grass. And if they do not want to give an answer, they will say, We will see [based on] the weather; we will see tomorrow. So, that is a good answer,” he added.

Support workers wheeling a "cooling box" onto the square as players were rehearsing was the more obvious flashpoint. According to reports, Fortis yelled at the employees while perched on a roller, which caused Gambhir to respond angrily.

"Curators also need to understand that the people they are talking to are highly skilled and intelligent people. So, for example, if you go on the ground now where we practiced, you won't even see that any bowlers in the outfield would have marked it with their spikes. So, we keep spraying. So, we try and see, and that all comes from the head coach, that we'll try and see that this ground also should not get damaged.

If you sound a bit arrogant or if you come across like you know, you can be protective, but at the end of the day, it's a cricket pitch. It's not an antique that you can't touch because otherwise it'll be 200 years old, and it can be broken, you know.

When he was bringing the cooling box there, while still sitting on the roller, he shouted and told the support staff not to take it there. Now the weight of that cooling box will be 10 kilos, according to me,” Kotak further added.

Kotak stated that Gambhir was defending his employees, but he did not elaborate on the specifics of the conversation. Additionally, he noted that other visiting teams have encountered such problems at Surrey's stadium.

"So, it is good to be a little possessive, and it is also good to be protective, but not that much. So, then Gautam just said, Do not talk to the support staff like this, because the support staff, we all come under the head coach. Any head coach will say that you cannot shout from there and say this. So, it was very normal. Then he [Fortis] came there, and he was saying... I think it got built up from the wicket when we were watching. And to be very, very honest, if you want me to be very honest, before coming to Oval, most of the team knew that the curator is not the easiest person to get on with. And I am sure you also would be aware of it. So, that gives a lot of answers.” Kotak added. 

Given the amount of cricket that remains to be played at the venue during the domestic season and The Hundred, which will start following the Test series, Fortis was concerned about the use of the square.

"You tell me day after day that a batsman will be sliding to survive from a run-out. A bowler will be sliding there to stop the ball. He said that we are trying to get this grass [on the other pitches in the square]. Next wicket to the center wicket, I mean, I don't know how much grass will grow in one day, and what will happen in the next five days. So sometimes you want your ground to be good and square to be good, but at the end of the day, it's a cricket ground,” Kotak signed off.

The fifth and final test begins on July 31.

(Cricbuzz inputs)