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Gambhir condemns 'roadshows' after deadly India stampede
Gautam Gambhir criticizes mass victory parades after 11 fans die in Bengaluru stampede during IPL title celebrations.
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AFP - Thu, 05, Jun 2025
- 13:50 EDT
- 19
(Top) India coach Gambhir (Image- ICC); (Bottom) People gather to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first Indian Premier League (IPL) title win, outside a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, India, June 4, 2025. / REUTERS/Stringer
Authorities in Bengaluru shouldn't have allowed mass celebrations if they weren't prepared, India coach Gautam Gambhir said on June 5, a day after 11 cricket fans were killed in a stampede.
Hundreds of thousands packed the streets in the southern Indian city Wednesday to welcome their hero Virat Kohli and his Royal Challengers Bengaluru after they won their maiden Indian Premier League title.
But the euphoria ended in disaster as fans, most aged between 14 and 29, were crushed to death in a stampede near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the winners were parading the trophy.
"I was never a believer that we need to have roadshows, never," Gambhir told journalists in Mumbai ahead of the Indian Test team's departure for England.
"Every life matters and if we were not ready to hold the roadshow, we shouldn't have done that," he added. "I think we can be more responsible."
The former opening batsman was flanked by India's newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, who was named Rohit Sharma's successor ahead of the tour to England.
The first of five Tests starts at Headingley on June 20.
Gill will lead a team in transition after Rohit, 38, and Kohli, 36, walked away from the five-day format in the space of six days last month.
"They were definitely two very experienced players who won so many matches for us and it's difficult to fill that space," Gill said.
Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is in the squad, although he will not be able to play all five Tests.
Bumrah's workload is being managed while he recovers from a career-threatening back injury.
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