Rishabh Pant likely to miss IPL 2023 after horrific car crash

Having miraculously escaped a horrific car accident on Friday, Rishabh Pant is currently undergoing treatment and recovery in Dehradun's Max Hospital. The wicketkeeper-batter suffered injuries in a fatal accident in the Delhi-Dehradun highway, including multiple cuts and bruises on his body.

The 25-year-old also received a ligament tear on his right knee. According to Cricbuzz, Pant will be missing the Test series vs Australia in February-March, and 'may also have to skip' IPL 2023, where he captains Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Cricbuzz report also revealed that the exact nature of treatment and time for Pant's recovery, rehabilitation will only be decided after the treatment of his ligament tear starts. Also, the BCCI medical team is currently monitoring his progress and could fly him to Mumbai when he can fly. The report also further adds that Pant will first recover from other external injuries before starting his ligament tear treatment, and the BCCI could itself take over the treatment.

Pant wasn't included in the roster for the upcoming white-ball series vs Sri Lanka and was involved in the just-concluded Test series vs Bangladesh. A BCCI release which detailed his injuries revealed that he is stable.

"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", the statement read.

A Haryana Roadways bus driver and conductor were among the first responders at the accident site, on Friday morning.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, the driver revealed that he didn't know Pant was a cricketer and saved him on humanitarian grounds. He stated that the car was yet to catch fire and Pant was half out of the window, and then he was pulled out by him and the conductor. They initially thought he was dead and returned his belongings in the ambulance.