 "'Hope this doesn’t stop players and fans': Michael Clarke counters Gautam Gambhir’s call to avoid roadshows")
Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has reacted to the tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru, which led to 11 deaths and many injuries. Clarke said that fans are the heart of every sport and they should not be kept away from celebrations. He was talking about the stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations.
Clarke’s comment comes a day after Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir criticised RCB’s victory celebrations, saying that he was never in favour of roadshows. Speaking at the team’s pre-departure press conference before leaving for England, Gambhir said the celebrations should have been held behind closed doors or inside a stadium, adding that the lives of people are far important.
Michael Clarke reacts to Bengaluru stampede
However, Clarke has made a contrasting statement without naming Gambhir, as he believes that no team should be stopped from celebrating with their fans because they are the ones who make the sport worth playing. Speaking on his Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, he also mentioned how deeply Indian players, including Virat Kohli, care for their fans.
“Very true. I think the fans make every game and every competition. The fans in India are phenomenal. I love how every game is packed — even the players know what they’re playing for. You listen to Virat and so many others; they love their team, and you want the fans to be a part of it. You want them to celebrate,” Clarke said.
“For RCB, it’s devastating to see anybody get injured or, even worse, pass away. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. Hopefully, we never see something like this again. I think players should be able to celebrate with fans. Even if it’s just packing the stadium and letting the players do a lap of honour at their home ground — something like that. Whatever it is, I hope this doesn’t stop players and fans from celebrating together, because the fans truly deserve it,” he added.
He ended by sending his condolences to the families of the victims, who were injured or lost their lives in the tragic incident. “But you never, ever want to see someone get hurt, injured, or worse. My thoughts are with all the families. It’s devastating news,” said Clarke, who was part of the commentary team for IPL 2025 final between RCB and Punjab Kings.
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Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has suspended the police commissioner and an FIR has been filed against RCB, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and DNA Entertainment, the company responsible for managing the event. The KSCA has shifted the blame to RCB and DNA Entertainment, saying that gate management was their responsibility and the state body only sought government permissions.
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