Here we go again—another Test match, and yet another off-field controversy stealing the spotlight. Only this time it is not about selection, or umpiring, or even DRS. No, this time it is about shoes. Not just any shoes, Gautam Gambhir’s shoes. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But that’s the crux of the fiery row between Team India’s head coach and Lee Fortis, pitch curator of The Oval. But amid breathing fire at Mr Fortis, Irfan Pathan fired some sharp salvos of his own, taking an alternative view to what the Indian media is currently turning into the annual Gambhir-bashing session.
The Shoe That Sparked a Storm
So apparently, Gambhir was checking out the pitch ahead of the fifth Test against England—fair game for any head coach. Importantly, he was wearing non-spiked shoes, meaning no actual damage to the pitch. But in came Lee Fortis, asking him to step away, triggering a fiery exchange that went viral faster than a Kohli cover drive.
Now, according to Irfan Pathan, this isn’t a one-off issue. Fortis has allegedly had similar standoffs with several visiting captains and coaches in the past. So, it begs the question—why is the focus only on Gambhir? Irfan didn’t mince words, calling the backlash “a controversy for nothing.” And honestly, he’s not wrong.
Why the Media Loves a Villain (Especially If It’s Gambhir)
Gambhir has never been loved by the media. He’s very intense, very direct, and doesn’t mince words – none of which are easy to manage in the outrage culture we currently operate in. So, the second this spat with Fortis occurred, the headlines were written and ready for print! “Gambhir loses his cool!” “Another rant from India’s coach!”.
Irfan, however, did not mince his words; he called it like it is – the media have a long history of scapegoating Gambhir. And why do it? Because it sells. Nothing sells quite like drama; in this case, it would appear that a hot-headed Gambhir trumps a curator who is being wrongly assertive. Pathan’s perspective is a nice change of pace; finally, somebody is drawing attention to the hypocrisy in the moral universe in which these narratives get played out.
Amid the Noise, Don’t Miss the Bigger Picture
While all of the discussion is happening over pitch etiquette and power dynamics of the game, we’re missing the story: India’s determined showing in this series. For a team 2-1 down, the visitors have shown fight. From the cramps of Bumrah managing his workload in each Test, to the absence of key players like Pant, this young team has given us more heart than hype.
According to Irfan, England’s frustration from the last drawn Test is part of why tensions are so high. India refused to roll over—even on a flat deck. The fifth Test at The Oval is their shot at levelling the series. And yet, we’re talking more about off-field drama than their on-field character.
In the grand scheme of things, should one heated moment with a pitch curator be front-page news? Or should we be talking about how India is still in the fight despite every possible setback?
Irfan Pathan’s forthright view reminded us that, as we noted last week, there are occasions when controversy is simply logrolling – especially if it bolsters a shared story. There was no wrongdoing on Gambhir’s behalf; he was simply doing his job. Maybe the story is not on the shoes Gambhir stood on, but in the commitment his teammates are showing.
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