"I don't watch cricket and I didn't know this is Rishabh Pant" - Bus driver who rescued the cricketer recounts events
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant suffered serious injuries courtesy of a horrific car crash in the early hours of Friday, December 30. The fact that the cricketer was able to exit his burning vehicle in time, coupled with timely intervention by the locals, helped his cause.
Pant was reportedly heading home for a surprise visit ahead of New Year's when the accident occurred. He was expected to complete a stint at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) at the start of the year to undergo knee strength training.
It is to be noted that the Delhi-born player was not selected for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
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.
He was helped by some people on the sidelines before he was hospitalized. Haryana Roadways bus driver Sushil Mann, who was among the first present at the scene to aid the distressed player, told NDTV:
"I put my bus on the side and quickly ran towards the divider. I thought the car would flip under the bus as it was turning over and over before it stopped. The driver (Mr Pant) was half out of the window. He told me he's a cricketer."
Sushil claimed that Pant asked him to place a call to his mother. However, no contact could be established as the recipient's phone was switched off. He continued:
"I don't watch cricket and I didn't know this is Rishabh Pant. But others in my bus recognized him. After removing Rishabh, I quickly searched the car to check if anyone else was there. I took out his blue bag and ₹7,000-8,000 from the car and gave it to him in the ambulance."
Reports initially claimed that some local youths ran off with the money instead of helping the player, forcing him to call an ambulance for himself after barely being able to exit the flaming vehicle.
Rishabh Pant is currently in stable condition after the initial diagnosis by the medical team
The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) issued an update after consulting with the Max hospital in Dehradun, where the wicketkeeper is currently admitted for treatment.
A statement released by the cricketing board read:
"India wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant met with a car accident early on Friday morning near Roorkee, Uttarakhand. He was admitted to Saksham Hospital Multispecialty and Trauma Centre where he was treated for impact injuries."
The statement continued:
"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."
Media Statement - Rishabh Pant
The BCCI will see to it that Rishabh receives the best possible medical care and gets all the support he needs to come out of this traumatic phase.
Details here 👇👇bcci.tv/articles/2022/…
The flamboyant cricketer is likely to be off the field for a significant while considering the injuries he has sustained in the accident.
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