World Cup 2023: 'Couldn’t get your breath...', Joe Root says England players struggled with Mumbai poor air

England batter Joe Root has revealed that his teammates were struggling to breathe properly during the last World Cup match against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

At a presser in Bengaluru, the former captain said he had never experienced something like that before and that it was like 'eating air'.

“I’ve not played in anything like that before. I’ve obviously played in hotter conditions, and probably more humid conditions. But it just felt like you couldn’t get your breath. It was like you were eating the air. It was unique,"said Root.

Notably, during the match last week, the temperature in India's financial capital reached35 degrees with haze making matters worse. The air quality tool a tumble to 'very unhealthy', leaving players gasping for clean air.

South African middle-order batter Heinrich Klassen could not come out to field, following his belligerent 67-ball innings of 109.

“You could see it with [Heinrich] Klaasen. You could see how much it took out of him, not being able to get back out onto the field," said Root.

“I mean you couldn’t get away from it. You walk out onto the field and your shirt’s soaking wet, and you have a lot heavier breath than you would do, and you know you’ve done your fitness and stuff, it’s not like you’re short on that. So you are very aware of it," he added.

Sri Lankan players wear masks

This is not the first instance when pollution has become an issue in India. In 2017, during a Test match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Sri Lankan cricketers wore masks to guard themselves from the capital's dangerous air pollution.

Sri Lanka pace bowler Suranga Lakmal doubled up and vomited soon after his team took the field for India’s second innings. The team physio ran in and escorted him off the field.

(With inputs from agencies)

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