While Delhi was reeling under severe air pollution crisis, photographs of East Delhi parliamentarian and cricketer “enjoying in Indore” had irked many social media users and residents of the capital. On November 15, Gambhir, along with other officials, skipped a parliamentary panel meeting on Delhi pollution as he was in Indore as a commentator for a Test cricket match. The Delhi meeting was eventually cancelled as only four of the 29 MPs scheduled to attend turned up.

Following the incident, “missing person” posters carrying Gambhir’s photo had surfaced in the capital. Clarifying on skipping the meeting, Gambhir has now said that he had “contractual obligations” to be present in Indore. “I regret that I have not been able to attend the meeting,” Gambhir said in an interview to news channels.