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‘Hard to digest the Air’: Jonty Rhodes flags Delhi’s pollution crisis, Paytm CEO reacts as smog chokes capital
Jonty Rhodes’ post on Delhi’s poor air quality sparked global attention and online reactions, including one from Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. As Delhi’s AQI neared ‘severe’ levels, protests erupted at India Gate demanding stronger government action against pollution.
Image: Delhi. abhijeet-gourav via Unsplash
Delhi’s annual pollution crisis has once again captured global attention, this time after former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes expressed concern over the city’s deteriorating air quality.
His post on X (formerly Twitter) drew widespread reactions online, including one from Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, as the national capital continued to reel under thick smog and hazardous air.
Jonty Rhodes now lives in South Goa !!
— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) November 10, 2025
Aur ab Delhi ki Air Quality ke charche to global hain…. Usska Kya hi kahain. https://t.co/f9cul6vwTv
On Sunday evening, Rhodes, who was transiting through Delhi en route to Ranchi, wrote, “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.”
His observation tagged with hashtags #AQI and #whats2Bdone, quickly went viral. Sharma, quoting Rhodes’ post, responded with a tongue-in-cheek remark in Hindi, “Jonty Rhodes now lives in South Goa!! Aur ab Delhi ki Air Quality ke charche to global hain… usska kya hi kahain (Now, discussions on Delhi’s air quality have gone global. Can’t even say anything about it).”
The exchange sparked a wave of social media reactions, many blending humour with frustration.
One user joked, “Even his legendary dives can’t help him land clean air here!” Another quipped, “Delhi AQI is trending harder than cricket scores.”
Others struck a more serious note, urging Rhodes to keep highlighting the issue. “Sir, please keep posting about air pollution. Voices like yours help raise awareness and put pressure on authorities,” wrote a commenter.
Some, however, voiced disillusionment, “It’s so pathetic. No one cares. Moments like this make me weak about India and its growth story. The motivation fizzles.”
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi’s average AQI stood at 372 (‘very poor’) as of 7 am Monday.
Bawana recorded the worst reading at 412 (‘severe’), Wazirpur (397) and Jahangirpuri (394) followed closely. While areas like Burari (389), Mathura Road (366), R K Puram (363) and Dwarka Sector 8 (355) remained in the ‘very poor’ range.
As the toxic haze thickened, hundreds of Delhi residents gathered at India Gate on Sunday demanding urgent government action. Demonstrators wore masks, carried placards and called for stricter emission controls and long-term air management policies.
Police later detained several protestors, citing a Supreme Court order restricting demonstrations to Jantar Mantar.
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