England Cricketers Resort to Inhalers to Combat Air Pollution in India

New Delhi: England cricketers have resorted to using inhalers to cope with the high levels of air pollution in major Indian cities during the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

British newspaper The i reported that some England players have been using inhalers typically used by asthma sufferers. Test captain Ben Stokes was spotted using an inhaler during a training session in preparation for their match against Sri Lanka in Bangalore.

The air quality in Delhi reached the “Severe” category with a reading of over 400, raising concerns for the health of players and spectators alike.

India skipper Rohit Sharma also weighed in on the issue, emphasizing the importance of addressing the air pollution problem for the sake of future generations.

While the air quality in Ahmedabad, where England are currently playing arch-rivals Australia, is acceptable, England batter Joe Root admitted that the air quality in Mumbai was a challenge during their heavy defeat to South Africa last month.

Root couldn’t confirm if air quality was the main factor in their defeat, but he noted the difficulty in breathing during the match.

The Bombay High Court recently expressed concern about the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai and took suo motu cognizance of the issue.

The situation in Delhi remains grim, with Sri Lanka scheduled to face Bangladesh on November 6.

This, however, is not new, as Sri Lankan players had to wear masks while on the field in New Delhi during a Test series match in 2017.

A 2019 Lancet Study revealed that air pollution led to over 2.3 million deaths in India.