Pant 'dozed off' while driving: Police

Rishabh Pant, who was hospitalised following a major car crash in the early hours of Friday morning, is in stable condition.

Uttarakhand police said the wicketkeeper-batsman, who was alone in the car when it crashed had lost control of the vehicle after he "dozed off".

The BMW car flipped over twice after it collided with a road divider on the Delhi-Dehradun highway, the police added.

Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar told Reuters: "Pant told the local police that he lost control on his car after he dozed off for a couple of seconds. The police is investigating the case."

Pant had to break the windscreen to escape after his BMW caught fire.

Dr Sushil Nagar, who treated Pant in emergency, said the big bruises on his back, pictures of which have gone viral on social media, are not burn injuries.

"The injuries happened because he jumped out of car by breaking the window of his car as soon as it caught fire. As he landed on the side of the road on his rear, the skin was peeled off. But those are not burn injuries and not very serious," he told PTI.

"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 added.

"He had two lacerations (blunt trauma) on his head, but I didn't put stitches. I have recommended him to Max Hospital where a plastic surgeon might see him."