BCCI plans to move India vs South Africa test from Delhi to Kolkata due to pollution concerns - Reports

BCCI received warnings about pollution in Delhi after schedule for South Africa test series was announced.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come under fire for scheduling a test match between India and South Africa in November in Delhi for November 14-18, 2025. This is the peak time for pollution and smog in the Indian capital.

In recent years, wintertime pollution has been a major worry, particularly around November, right after Diwali. There were major worries before Bangladesh’s match against Sri Lanka on November 6 of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and the former even called off training sessions.

The BCCI had justified its choice to hold the match in Delhi in November by claiming that it had followed its “rotation policy.” During a test match in Delhi in December 2017, a few Sri Lankan players threw up on the field while wearing masks. Two Bangladeshi players puked on the field during an ODI in November 2019.

BCCI plans to move the test match from Delhi to Kolkata after facing fire

Medical professionals have cautioned on numerous occasions in recent years about the dangers of exercising or playing outdoor sports in November in Delhi because of the high pollution levels, stating that the consequences of such strenuous outdoor activities may be long-lasting.

Meanwhile, the Times of India has reported that the BCCI has decided to listen to warnings and will shift the test from Delhi to the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

“The Arun Jaitley Delhi will now hold the second Test between India and the West Indies between October 10-14, which was originally supposed to be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Kolkata, meanwhile, will now hold the first Test between India and South Africa from Nov 14-18.

This has been done to avoid the players from being affected by possibly high pollution levels at that time of the year. The BCCI prioritizes the welfare and well-being of the players and their health at all times. A formal announcement regarding this swap will be made in the next couple of days,” a BCCI source told the Times of India.

IPL 2025 final in Kolkata would’ve been washed out on both days due to rain

The source also added that the BCCI’s decision to move the IPL 2025 playoffs, including the final, from Kolkata to Ahmedabad was correct. This is because it rained on June 3 and 4 in Kolkata, and the final would’ve been washed out on both days.

“It started raining from 9 pm till 1 am in Kolkata, and it rained heavily there today too. If the final had been held in Kolkata, even the reserve day’s play would have been washed out. The decision to shift the final from Kolkata to Ahmedabad was not based on any sort of politics, as is being alleged by a few people, but was based on scientific inputs,” a source in the BCCI said.

On Tuesday night, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings faced off in a complete 40-over final at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, where rain was predicted to be just 3% on the day of the match. RCB won by six runs.

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