‘Feels like we’re still in 1947 era’: Irfan Pathan stands by Gautam Gambhir, slams Oval pitch curator

Irfan Pathan has slammed England pitch curator Lee Fortis over his heated exchange with Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir at The Oval. According to him, Fortis has a history of being rude to overseas teams.

“The curator at The Oval has a bit of a history of being rude. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened with overseas team captains and coaches,” Irfan Pathan said.

Irfan Pathan explained the difference between bowling and fielding spikes. Bowling spikes have steel nails while fielding ones do not. Spikes can collect dirt and grass, especially on wet grounds, and sometimes damage the pitch or grass.

Then, he spoke about Gautam Gambhir being accused of wearing spikes during the pitch inspection. Irfan said Gambhir had followed the rules by wearing rubber spikes.

“The way the media is trying to paint Gautam Gambhir as the villain is a part of an ongoing trend. It’s been happening for quite some time now, and people are noticing it,” Pathan said.

Pathan referred to a photo on Twitter (now X), uploaded by Sarang Bhalerao. It was originally shared by cricket analyst Adam Collins on July 25, 2023.

The photo, taken two days before Ashes 2023, shows England Head Coach Brendon McCullum having a light-hearted chat with Fortis. Both of them were standing in the middle of the pitch.

“So, an English coach can go there, but an Indian coach cannot. It feels like we’re still in the 1947 era. (I am) Absolutely not going to accept it. Fans can decide whether they will accept this or not. But, I will not,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

“How can you inspect the pitch from 2.5 metres away? You have to touch and check it. This is an unnecessary controversy,” he added.

“Even though India are trailing 2-1 before the final match, they’ve played really good cricket. It’s been 20 days of solid cricket,” Pathan said.

“I’m absolutely proud of this team. They’ve played really well. It’s a young side. When a team goes through a transition, confidence is tested, especially overseas. Even playing at home is tough, but this team fought hard in England,” Pathan added.