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Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant's family is concerned that the continuous influx of visitors at Dehradun’s Max Hospital is hindering the player's recovery.
Driving the news: Pant was involved in a car accident at Uttarakhand’s Roorkee on 30 December.
The 25-year-old wicketkeeper-batter of the Indian men’s cricket team, was travelling home to surprise his mother.
Pant crashed his Mercedes GLC SUV into a guard rail.
A Haryana Roadways driver, aided by his conductor, dragged him out of the blazing vehicle and alerted the authorities.
Nature of injuries: Pant suffered "two cuts on his forehead, a ligament tear in his right knee, hurt his right wrist, ankle, toe and suffered abrasion injuries on his back," according to a statement released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The cricketer received initial treatment at the Saksham Hospital, from where he was transferred to Max Hospital for MRI scans and plastic surgery.
Speaking to The Quint, sports surgeon Dr Prateek Gupta stated that while the external injuries would heal in 3-6 weeks, the main concern remains Pant’s ligament damage. While a partial rupture usually takes 3-4 months to heal, a full rupture could put the Delhi player out of action for somewhere between nine months to a year.
High volume: The cricketer has had a plethora of visitors since his admission to the hospital. Besides friends and teammates, celebrities have also paid him a visit, including Bollywood actors Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor, who claimed they went to visit Pant ‘as fans.’
Cause for concern: The medical team entrusted with Pant’s well-being, however, is concerned with the visitors taking a toll on the player’s energy amid a crucial recovery phase.
“He has to speak to visitors, which drains his energy that should be preserved for a faster recovery. People planning to visit him should avoid it for now and let him rest,” a member of the team told Times of India.
“Those who are going to meet Pant should avoid, as there are chances of infection. There should be no VIP movement to meet Pant, and people visiting him should avoid it as there are chances of infection for Pant,” Director of the Delhi & District Cricket Association Shyam Sharma informed ANI.
(With inputs from Times of India and ANI)
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