Alert Rishabh Pant jumps off burning car after crash

The charred remains of the car that Rishabh Pant (right) was travelling in before it hit the divider on the Delhi-Dehradun highway early Friday. Pics/PTI

India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant had a miraculous escape when his luxury car crashed into a road divider and caught fire after he dozed off at the wheel on the Delhi-Dehradun highway in the early hours of Friday.

India woke up on Friday to the news of India's match-winning cricketer Rishabh Pant being involved in a terrible car crash as his vehicle hit a road divider and caught fire after he reportedly dozed off at the wheel on the Delhi-Dehradun highway.

Pant, 25, who was on his way to his hometown Roorkee to surprise his mother, suffered injuries on his head, back and feet, but is in a stable condition following the accident that took place in Manglaur in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district around 5.30 am, police said.

The driver and other staff of a Haryana Roadways bus passing by helped the cricketer get out of the burning Mercedes Benz, said Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh. The car was completely charred and reduced to a mangled heap.

Pant, who was alone in the car, dozed off and the car hit the divider before bursting into flames, he said.

As concerns mounted about the extent of his injuries and whether they could impact his game, Dr Sushil Nagar, who treated Pant at the Emergency department of the Roorkee hospital where he was initially taken to, said there was no fracture, but a ligament injury to the knee that would require further investigation.

India's cricket board BCCI said in a statement that Pant has two cuts on his forehead, a ligament tear in his right knee. He has also hurt his right wrist, ankle, toe and has suffered abrasion injuries on his back.

He was rushed to Saksham hospital in nearby Roorkee from where he was referred to Max Hospital, Dehradun, about three hours away. "When he was brought to our hospital, he was fully conscious and I spoke to him. He wanted to surprise his mother and was going back home," Dr Nagar of Saksham hospital told PTI. Pant had two lacerations (blunt trauma) on his head but there were no stitches, Dr Nagar said. "Reports of X-rays conducted at our hospital suggest that there are no bone injuries. Yes, there is a ligament tear on his right knee. How serious it is can only be detected after further investigation and a detailed MRI done."

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah not to be rushed back; Rishabh Pant will be at NCA

Tweet talk

Narendra Modi@narendramodi: Distressed by the accident of noted cricketer Rishabh Pant. I pray for his good health and well-being. @RishabhPant17

Sachin Tendulkar@sachin_rt: Wishing you a very speedy recovery @RishabhPant17. My prayers are with you.