On Wednesday, the BCCI announced the Indian men’s home schedule for 2025, where they will host West Indies and South Africa from October to December. West Indies will play two Tests, while South Africa will play two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is.
There are concerns about scheduling the first Test against South Africa in Delhi this November, considering the air pollution in the city during that time. Despite this, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia downplayed these worries, stating that air pollution isn’t a yearly problem.
In 2017, a Test match in Delhi between India and Sri Lanka had issues with pollution, affecting some players who reported respiratory problems. At that time, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 316, which is very poor. One Sri Lankan bowler even got sick during the match.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is promising to take measures to ensure player comfort during the match. According to DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma, the Arun Jaitley Stadium is located in a relatively open area, which should have better air quality than other parts of the city.
He noted that the pollution levels in November tend to be lower than in December. Last November, Delhi’s AQI skyrocketed to 999, leading to advisories for residents to stay indoors. In the past, air pollution has disrupted cricket, with two Ranji Trophy matches canceled in 2016 due to smog.
Even during the recent ODI World Cup, the Bangladesh team had to cancel training sessions in Delhi because of the air quality issues.