Indian cricket superstar Rishabh Pant is 'lucky to be alive' after being seriously injured in a horrific fireball car crash today. The 25-year-old wicket-keeper batsman, regarded as one of the best cricketers in the world, went off the road between Mangalaur and Nursan, close to his hometown of Roorkee in the northern state of Uttarakhand.
Police in the region said he was travelling alone when his Mercedes GLE car hit the dividing barrier on the Delhi-Haridwar highway around 5.30am local time today. Shocking CCTV footage captured the chilling moment when the car crashed against the barrier before bursting into flames.
Local police superintendent Swapn Kishor Singh said in a statement reported by local media: “The car he was driving was completely burnt. He is lucky to survive the severe accident."
Footage of the aftermath of the incident showed the vehicle on fire as Pant was pulled to safety by locals who'd heard the crash. He was rushed to a nearby hospital first before being shifted to a major hospital in Dehradun, where is said to be 'conscious' and 'able to talk'.
Photos show some of the injuries he sustained, including several large bruises on his back and cuts to his forehead. A spokesperson for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said: "Rishabh has two cuts on his forehead, a ligament tear in his right knee and has also hurt his right wrist, ankle, toe and has suffered abrasion injuries on his back.
"Rishabh's condition remains stable, and he has now been shifted to Max Hospital, Dehradun, where he will undergo MRI scans to ascertain the extent of his injuries and formulate his further course of treatment."
Police said Pant may have fallen asleep while driving as there was no fog on the road at the time. The burnt remains of the car have been sent for investigation to determine whether the airbags had opened or not.
His IPL franchise, the Delhi Capitals, tweeted: "Thinking about Rishabh. Get well soon, Skip." They later added: "Rishabh Pant met with an accident between Manglaur and Narsan in Haridwar district. He has now been shifted to a hospital in Dehradun after receiving primary treatment in a hospital in Roorkee."
Dr Dishant Yagnik, medical superintendent at Max Hospital, Dehradun, where Pant is being treated, said: "He is stable at the moment, there doesn't appear to be cause for major worry. He is conscious, and he is talking, and the doctors are examining wherever he is saying there is discomfort. Orthopaedics and plastic surgeons are looking at him right now. And we are examining for any internal injuries."
Pant became the second-youngest man to captain India in a T20I match earlier this year. And in July, he scored his maiden century in ODI cricket, blasting 125 not out against England. Pant has played 33 Tests and only last week made the top score of 93 in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur, which helped India win the series 2-0.
He has also played 30 One-Day Internationals for India as well as 66 T20 internationals. Pant was due to head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru in Bengaluru for strength and conditioning before the Test series against Australia in February.
