Two days ahead of the series-deciding fifth Test between India and England, a huge row brewed involving the visiting head coach Gautam Gambhir and the chief Oval curator Lee Fortis.

During India’s training session, Gambhir had a heated confrontation with Fortis after being told to stay two and a half meters away when he was inspecting the pitch.

Coaches and captains usually take a look at the surface in the days leading up to a Test to fine-tune their plans and team combinations.

Reacting to the incident, former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel extended his support to Gambhir, suggesting that the pitch curator's outburst was likely driven by frustration.

"I don't think Gautam Gambhir did anything wrong. The way the pitch curator behaved was just a sign of frustration. Maybe England was thinking they were going to win the series 5-0 and send India back, but this is not happening at all. So we can see all the frustration," Patel told ANI.

The curator has reportedly asked the Indian coaching staff to maintain a distance from the main pitch square despite them wearing joggers or shoes with rubber spikes, prompting frustration from Gambhir.

The India head coach was heard saying, "You don’t tell any of us what we need to do… you have no right to tell us. You are just a groundsman, nothing beyond.”

The episode has triggered debate online, heightened by an old photo showing Lee Fortis standing on the pitch with England coach Brendon McCullum, raising accusations of double standards.

The flare-up at The Oval has certainly added a new layer of drama ahead of the final Test, set to begin on July 31. The Shubman Gill-led side is currently 1-2 behind in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but has a golden opportunity to draw the series at the Oval.