By Trisha Ghosal in London
Why were India suddenly denied access to the pitch?
On the eve of the final Test, India captain Shubman Gill addressed the controversy involving The Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis, who allegedly stopped the Indian team from inspecting the pitch on Tuesday. Gill didn’t mince his words. “We’ve been here for two months. We’ve looked at wickets after every match. As long as you’re in rubber spikes or barefoot, there’s never been an issue. I don’t know what changed yesterday.”
He added: “It’s not normal to be asked to stay three metres away from a surface. That’s never happened to us before. It’s the captain and coach’s job to examine conditions.”
Is the tight scheduling hurting players?
With the series entering its fifth Test, the toll on fast bowlers, especially with three-day turnarounds, has been significant. “Three days is too short a turnaround when every match is going to the last session,” Gill said. “We understand long gaps can stretch a tour, but it’s about balance. The boards make the calls, and we trust that.”
Is Jasprit Bumrah ready? Is Arshdeep Singh debuting?
Gill remained cautious about revealing team combinations. “We’ll take a final call this evening, the wicket looks green. As for Arshdeep, he’s been told to be ready. We’ll see how conditions unfold.”
Why Washington Sundar keeps getting picked
On choosing Washington over a frontline bowler, Gill defended the move emphatically. “He gives us control with the ball, and his batting has been a huge plus. He’s helped us avoid collapses something we’ve consciously tried to fix.”
On-field tension and captaincy learnings
Despite multiple on-field flare-ups, including at Lord’s and in the previous Test, Gill played down the drama. “It’s competitive cricket. Things happen in the moment. But once the game ends, there’s mutual respect. No regrets.”
As captain, has it drained him? “It’s been a challenge, yes. But also very exciting. I’ve learnt things in these four games that you can’t learn without being in this seat. Hopefully, we finish on a high.”
The final test of both character and control awaits Shubman Gill tomorrow morning at The Oval.
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