June 6, 2025 - Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir on June 4 criticised RCB over the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB won its first IPL title after 17 years. There was a celebration inside the stadium, but chaos broke out outside, leading to a stampede.

Gambhir said that in his view such roadshows are not needed after a win. He added that he felt the same way when Team India won the T20 World Cup in 2007. Gambhir made this statement during a press conference before leaving for the England tour.

'Life More Important'

Gambhir said that people’s lives matter more than celebrations and such events should be handled carefully. He said, “I have always believed that we don’t need road shows. Even when we returned after winning the 2007 T20 World Cup, I felt the same. People’s lives are more important. I will always say the same in the future.”

'Road Shows Be Done Carefully'

Gambhir added, “In the future, we need to be more careful about road shows. These events should be done behind closed doors. We should not have done this. Fans get excited, but nothing is more important than people’s safety. You cannot lose 11 lives like this. In my opinion, the road show should not have happened.”

No Road Show for Gambhir

Gambhir helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) win the title last season as a coach. But there was no road show after that victory. A road show for the Indian team was also planned after winning the Champions Trophy, but it was later cancelled. Earlier, as captain, Gambhir led KKR to IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.