Former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen sparked a debate on social media by commending the air quality in Mumbai as the best he has experienced. The 45-year-old, also known as KP, is currently in Mumbai for his IPL 2026 commentary duties and responded to critics accusing him of engaging in paid promotion.
Pietersen took to a platform to highlight Mumbai’s improved Air Quality Index (AQI), which recently reached 40 due to favorable weather conditions, categorizing it as “good.” According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mumbai has maintained an AQI below 50 since March 28.
In a post, Pietersen expressed, “The air quality in Mumbai is so good. It’s the best I’ve ever experienced! Congrats to the leadership for putting in place the necessary measures.” However, his remarks garnered mixed reactions online, with some questioning the authenticity of his claim and suggesting it was a paid endorsement.
Pietersen refuted the accusations strongly, stating, “You think I get paid to post about air quality? Are you crazy?! When something stands out to me, I’ll tweet it! And that number is incorrect—it’s around 40 today, which is fantastic!”
Despite the skepticism, Pietersen received praise from several users for acknowledging the cleanliness of the air in Mumbai. One user remarked, “Yes, under 50 is amazing especially when it’s not raining,” while another expressed, “Good to hear this from someone who’s traveled the world. When visitors genuinely notice these improvements, it says a lot. Clean air in big cities should never feel impossible, hopefully this only gets better from here.”
In a light-hearted post, Pietersen shared his sunburn experience, indicating, “An hour in the sun, no sunscreen and I’ve been hammered. This is how I know the cleanliness of the air is excellent!” The post included a picture of his sun-kissed appearance.