Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday that he couldn't understand head coach Gautam Gambhir's reaction after Surrey's head groundsman, Lee Fortis, prevented the Indian team from closely inspecting The Oval pitch during Tuesday's practice ahead of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.

Surrey's chief groundskeeper, Lee Fortis, prevented Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak from approaching the pitch too closely on Tuesday while they were examining the Oval's central square.

Gambhir objected to Fortis' request that the Indian team keep a minimum of 2.5 meters away from the playing field due to concerns about significant foot traffic on the surface.

Gambhir was seen going angrily toward Fortis and waving his finger at him in a video that went viral on social media. According to a later report by ESPNcricinfo, the heated exchange took place when Gambhir allegedly called Fortis “just a groundsman.”

Fortis responded by warning the former India opener that he would report him to the ICC match referee if he kept using profanity.

Ganguly, speaking to reporters in Kolkata, said he was baffled by Gambhir's outburst and urged everyone not to exaggerate the incident.

"I really don't know why Gambhir was upset. I'm sure all coaches and captains have discussions with the groundsmen—sometimes happily, sometimes unhappily. It's happened in my time; it's going to happen in the future, also. So, let's not just make too much out of it. I wish India would play well, win the Test, and level the series," he said.  

Meanwhile, India was asked to bat first in the fifth Test against England as Shubman Gill lost the toss. India has made 104/4 at the time of writing this, with Sai Sudharsan having made 38 and Shubman Gill having made 21.