Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant wounded in car crash

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant, seen during the second day of the second cricket test match between Bangladesh and India, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on December 23, 2022, suffered multiple injuries from a road accident early on December 30, 2022 [Surjeet Yadav/AP Photo]

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant has suffered multiple injuries in a car crash near the town of Roorkee in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, but is now in a stable condition, police have said.

Pant, considered India’s best ever wicketkeeper-batsman by many experts, was alone in the car, which collided with a road divider and caught fire in the early hours of Friday in his home state.

“He was taken to a nearby Saksham Hospital where he received primary treatment and was later shifted to Max Hospital Dehradun for advanced treatment,” Swapan Kishore, a senior police officer in Roorkee told reporters.

Pant, 25, suffered injuries on his head, back and leg, and according to Indian media reports, managed to exit the car before it caught fire. Visuals from the scene showed the car completely burned after the accident.

Rishabh Pant, 25, was driving a car that overturned and caught fire after hitting a road divider, a state government spokesman said. Pant was hospitalised on Friday with non life-threatening injuries [AP Photo]

Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said the sport’s governing body in the country was closely monitoring the cricketer’s condition.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Rishabh Pant as he fights his way back to recovery. I have spoken to his family and the doctors treating him. Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans. We are closely monitoring his progress and will provide him with all the necessary support,” Shah said in a tweet.

My thoughts and prayers are with Rishabh Pant as he fights his way back to recovery. I have spoken to his family and the doctors treating him. Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans. We are closely monitoring his progress and will provide him with all the necessary support.

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) December 30, 2022

Pant was part of the squad that emerged victorious in a 2-0 test series over Bangladesh this month. But he has been dropped for matches against Sri Lanka to be held next month.

Cricketers from across the world took to Twitter to express their concern and wish Pant a speedy recovery.

“Praying for Rishabh Pant. Thankfully he is out of danger,” former Indian test batsman VVS Laxman tweeted.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, who is also the head coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Delhi Capitals, which Pant captains, posted: “Hope you’re on the mend and back on your feet soon.”

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik tweeted: “…Wishing you a speedy recovery, get well soon brother.”