Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has had a miraculous escape from a car crash which saw his vehicle go up in flames.
Police said the 25-year-old was alone in the car when he 'dozed off', with his vehicle careering into the median strip in the northern state of Uttarakhand. According to a report in the Daily Mail , the car flipped over twice and burst into flames, with photographs taken afterwards showing the Mercedes GLE to be burnt out and destroyed.
Pant was covered in blood and visibly shaken after the crash, but incredibly, also on his feet having seemingly seemingly cheated death. But his IPL franchise, the Delhi Capitals, have since confirmed he is receiving hospital treatment.
"Thinking about Rishabh. Get well soon, Skip," they tweeted. "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."
Cricket website ESPNCricinfo reported that suffered lacerative wounds on his forehead above his left eye and also a ligament tear in his knee. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah tweeted: "Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans."
A report by The Times of India read: “Pant sustained injuries on his forehead, a hand and right knee. However, he is conscious and able to talk,” police superintendent Swapn Kishor Singh was quoted as saying. “The car he was driving was completely burnt. He is lucky to survive the severe accident”.
The incident took place at around 5.30am. The officer added Pant was rescued from the wreckage and "rushed to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to a major hospital in Dehradun."
Since making his Test debut against England in August 2018, Pant has cemented a reputation as one of the most exciting players in world cricket. In his 31 Tests he has racked up five centuries, and also notched his maiden ODI ton in August.
He had been named as captain for the Capitals ahead of the 2023 campaign. The squad also contained the likes of Aussie opener David Warner and South African bowler Anrich Nortje.
