The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly decided to swap the venues for two upcoming matches, the second Test between India and the West Indies, and the first Test between India and South Africa.
According to a Times of India report, the second Test match between India and the West Indies, initially scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from October 10 to 14, 2025, will now take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Conversely, the first Test match between India and South Africa, originally planned for Delhi from November 14 to 18, 2025, is set to be moved to Kolkata.
This venue shift is reportedly made to address the concerns over Delhi's deteriorating air quality in the capital city during November because of factors like Diwali fireworks and stubble burning.
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BCCI Reportedly Swaps Test Venues to Beat Delhi’s Pollution Woes
It has been reported that the BCCI has decided to switch the venues for two crucial red-ball fixtures later this year. According to a report in The Times of India, this decision was taken keeping in mind Delhi’s rising pollution levels during the onset of winter.
"The Arun Jaitley Delhi will now hold the second Test between India and West Indies between Oct 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," a BCCI source said as quoted to TOI.
"This has been done to avoid the players from being affected by possibly high pollution levels at that time of the year. The BCCI prioritises the welfare and well-being of the players and their health at all times. A formal announcement regarding this will be made in the next couple of days," he added.
The BCCI announced the schedule for the home season of the senior men’s team in April. The upcoming West Indies series will begin with a Test in Ahmedabad, set to be played from October 2 to 6. The second Test will follow in Delhi from October 10 to 14, although an official confirmation is still pending.
Following the West Indies Tests, India is scheduled to host South Africa in a multi-format series. The opening Test, initially planned for Delhi, is now expected to take place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to 18, subject to final confirmation from the BCCI. The caravan will then shift east to Guwahati for the second Test, scheduled from November 22 to 26.
The bilateral contest will continue with a three-match ODI series. The matches are scheduled in Ranchi (November 30), Raipur (December 3) and Visakhapatnam (December 6).
The white-ball leg of the tour will conclude with a five-match T20I series. The fixtures are to be held in Cuttack (December 9), Mullanpur (December 11), Dharamsala (December 14), Lucknow (December 17), and Ahmedabad (December 19).
Past Incidents of Delhi’s Pollution Affecting International Matches
Delhi’s toxic air during early winter has raised concerns in the past. Notably, in December 2017, a Test match between India and Sri Lanka saw players donning face masks due to the smog.
At the 2023 ODI World Cup, the game between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Delhi drew attention due to the deteriorating air quality, resulting in Bangladesh canceling a scheduled training session.
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