Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden feels India head coach Gautam Gambhir could have toned down his language during a fiery exchange with the Oval curator ahead of the crucial fifth Test, but noted it was a typical case of an English groundsman asserting authority over the pitch.

Gambhir was involved in a heated exchange of words with the Oval`s chief curator Lee Fortis ahead of the fifth Test and was heard telling him "you don`t tell us what we need to do" while pointing fingers at the groundstaff.

"They (curators) can get pretty protective about the surfaces. This is a typical case in England. It is a bit of a flex, here we are, final Test match, this is my venue, and they are going to try and make it difficult on Gautam Gambhir," Hayden said on `All Over Bar The Cricket`.