Mumbai batsman wears pollution mask while batting in Ranji match in Delhi

Last year in December, the Sri Lankan team had played a Test match in Delhi wearing air pollution masks due to heavy smog and pollution

Pollution situation in Delhi is a known fact. But because of this poor air quality in the national capital, BCCI has come under criticism for scheduling a Ranji Trophy fixture in Delhi where a Mumbai batsman Siddhesh Lad had to bat wearing a breathing mask on Thursday.

The Mumbai batsman, who came out to bat on the opening day of the Ranji season, was having breathing problems and had to wear a mask. "He was having problems while breathing and felt a bit dizzy and that's why he wore the anti-pollution mask. Now he is okay," Siddhesh's father Dinesh Lad told PTI.

Last year in December, in a similar instance Sri Lankan players had come out to play wearing air pollution mask due to heavy smog in the Delhi-NCR region, which made breathing difficul

It's not that BCCI had never taken cognisance of pollution in Delhi. BCCI had cancelled two Ranji matches in 2016 due to bad air quality in Delhi. Now, the question that needs to be asked is that air quality hasn't improved in the city since then, so why did the BCCI not shift the match out of Delhi.

India has the highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases and asthma globally and Delhi is one of the most polluted cities around the world. Air quality in Delhi has been oscillating between 'poor', 'very poor' and 'severe' category over the last few days. Even today, Delhi's air quality index stood at 391, which is just short of 'severe'.