Legendary South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes has joined an increasing number of residents and public personalities in expressing grave worry over Delhi’s deteriorating air quality. Jonty Rhodes contrasted the smog-filled sky of Delhi with the pure, breathing air of Goa, where he presently resides, as the national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped into the “severe” category over the weekend.
Delhi experiences a dramatic increase in pollution levels each winter as a result of things like vehicle emissions, stubble burning, and stale weather. This year, residents were forced to stay indoors due to AQI levels that exceeded 400 in a number of locations, raising health concerns. Debates concerning long-term environmental policy and accountability have been rekindled by the haze.
Jonty Rhodes voiced his worries on social media.
This evening, I’m traveling through Delhi on my way to Ranchi, and as usual, the poor air quality makes it difficult to comprehend. Rhodes commented on X, “I’m thankful to be residing in a small fishing village in South Goa.”
In a different tweet, the South African icon posted a photo of his kids playing football in Goa, drawing a comparison with the weather in Delhi, where medical professionals frequently advise people to stay inside.
Yes, those are my children playing football! This is how my “home” sunsets look! In Delhi, it’s advised to stay inside.
Passing through Delhi en route to Ranchi this evening, and as always, it’s hard to digest the low levels of air quality here. Am grateful to be living in a small fishing village in South Goa ##AQI #whats2Bdone pic.twitter.com/3ctZELJmRN
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) November 9, 2025
Jonty Rhodes, who has spent extensive time in India, echoed worry about the impact of pollution on ordinary life. His remarks are made at a time when Delhi’s air quality is at its lowest point of the year. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reports that the air quality index (AQI) was 354 on Monday morning, making it “very poor.” Readings close to or above 370 were reported by a number of monitoring sites, including Anand Vihar, ITO, and Chandni Chowk.
The public has become irate over the situation, releasing footage showing smog and air purifiers clogging in a matter of days. Over the weekend, parents and students gathered near India Gate, pushing authorities to take more action to battle pollution. Experts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) caution that the air quality will probably continue to be in the “very poor” range in the days ahead, despite a slight improvement with the AQI falling from 391 to 365 by Sunday evening.
However, pointing to consistent improvements, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said that Stage 3 limitations under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) would not yet be implemented.
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