Who wants unfit players?

For the first time in 140 years of test cricket history, a test match between India and Sri Lanka was interrupted thrice yesterday when Sri Lanka players complained of difficulty in breathing and refused to play. They wore face masks for protection. Indians were naturally very angry, probably because our team was in a strong position and saw this as time wasting and, to be told that our capital city is a dump, is humiliating. An angry crowd booed Sri Lankan players, chanting "losers, losers". So, are the Sri Lankans just bad losers? The Central Pollution Control Board described Delhi air as "very poor". "The most dominant pollutants are PM2.5 and PM10. These are ultrafine particulates, which can measure up to 30 times finer than the width of a human hair. The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were 223 and 383 micrograms per cubic meter at 1pm today afternoon. The corresponding 24-hour prescribed standards are 60 and 100," it said. "Exposure to such air for a prolonged period can trigger respiratory illness." Win or lose, players do not want to return home with serious lung damage. Last year Delhi had the dubious distinction of being the most polluted city on the planet. The year before, a New York Times journalist cut short his time here because Delhi was a 'gas chamber for his children'. That caused outrage at the time because it was seen as a put-down by a snooty American. But, on average, Delhi is not the most polluted city in India. Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna and Raipur are higher up the list, but it is no consolation to parents to see their children gasping for air. Living in Delhi during this time is like smoking 50 cigarettes a day. Not good for developing lungs. Why is pollution so high in Delhi? Delhi is landlocked. At this time of the year there is no breeze, which results in mist and fog as the ground cools. This locks in smoke from surrounding states, exhausts from vehicles and burning of garbage by poor people, to stay warm. Delhi is overcrowded with 20 million people crammed into tiny flats. Narrow roads cause traffic congestion and collection of exhaust fumes. India and China have populations in excess of 1 billion each but why are Georgia, Bulgaria and Russia so polluted when they have tiny populations? The Delhi Metro was built in record time and is the pride of the city. To maintain standards it had to increase fares after a long time but this resulted in an immediate drop in numbers of commuters. As for cricket, the fault lies with the organizers. They should organize matches in Delhi in consultation with meteorological officers. After all, we do not want wheezing players, do we?