Gambhir Condemns Chinnaswamy Stampede: 'A Life Matters More Than a Roadshow'

India's new head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has been extremely concerned about the unfortunate incident in Bengaluru, during which a stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL triumph celebration killed 11 individuals and injured many others.

Telling a press conference in Mumbai before India's upcoming series of Tests in England, Gambhir avoided pointing fingers directly but called for more responsible choices to be made when public safety is involved.

"I am no one to blame anybody," Gambhir said. "Winning is necessary, celebration is okay, but not at the expense of human lives. If we are not capable of controlling such big gatherings, then it's best not to organize such roadshows. As citizens, our behavior must be seen in terms of responsibility."

Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer and captain of IPL-winning sides, reiterated his consistent opposition to victory parades on open roads. Remembering his position in 2007, when India came home winning the first T20 World Cup, he stated that he had expressed similar concerns even at that time.

I never believed in conducting roadshows. Not in 2007, not at present. Even then, I thought we did not require such celebrations. Life is much more precious," he added.

Having been instrumental in India's 2007 and 2011 World Cup victories, and being a two-time IPL-winning captain with Kolkata Knight Riders—along with his recent triumph as the mentor of KKR in IPL 2024—Gambhir emphasized that closed-door or stadium-based celebrations should be thought about instead.

"In the future, maybe we can consider safer options such as closed-door celebrations or within stadiums," he suggested.

Extending his sympathies to the grieving families, Gambhir stated, "It's devastating. My thoughts are with everyone who lost a relative in this horrific tragedy. I sincerely hope we never see something like this happen again."

Focusing on the shared responsibility of stakeholders, he further stated, "Whether it's a franchise or any organisation, we have to act responsibly. If the event organisers weren't properly equipped to deal with the crowd, then the roadshow shouldn't have taken place. Fanfare and excitement are fine, but they must never be at the expense of human lives.